Here's the thing: most students spend 30 seconds on their letter opening and wonder why they're stuck at Band 6. Your opening line isn't just politeness. It's the first real signal to the examiner about whether you understand formal register, can structure a letter correctly, and know when to pick the right vocabulary.
In this post, I'm showing you exactly what separates Band 7 openings from Band 5 ones, plus a practical system to check your own letter salutations before exam day. Whether you're using an IELTS writing checker or reviewing your work manually, the principles here are non-negotiable.
You've got 20 minutes for Task 1. That's 1,200 seconds. Most of you waste the first 30 on an opening that doesn't score you any points and might actually lose marks on Coherence and Cohesion.
The IELTS band descriptors for writing don't grade "letter openings" as a separate box to tick. But they absolutely grade Coherence and Cohesion (how your writing flows and connects), Lexical Resource (your vocabulary choices), and Grammatical Range and Accuracy (your sentence structure). Your opening line touches all three at once.
When examiners read your opening, here's what they're actually checking: Do you know the letter format? Does your register match the situation? Can you construct a grammatically accurate sentence under time pressure? Mess this up, and you look careless. Get it right, and you signal control from line one.
A Band 7 letter opening has three components: salutation, subject line (optional but smart), and opening statement.
It looks like this:
That's it. No flowery language. No attempts to impress. Clarity wins.
Example that works: Dear Sir or Madam, Re: Request for Information About the Summer Writing Programme I am writing to request detailed information about your summer writing programme, particularly regarding course duration and fees.
That opening works because it's direct, grammatically solid, and tells the examiner exactly what's coming. No confusion. No wasted words.
Here's what tank openings look like, and why they don't work.
Weak example: Hello Sir, I hope you are doing well. I want to write to you about something important that happened at your restaurant.
Three problems:
Weak example: Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing regarding to the problem which I experienced in your restaurant last week and I want to tell you all about it very much.
This one looks "formal" but it's full of grammar issues:
The Grammatical Range and Accuracy band descriptor looks for "consistent use of complex structures" and "errors that don't stop people understanding." A 20-word opening with three grammar wobbles doesn't signal Band 7 control. If you want to improve your grammar more broadly, an IELTS writing checker can flag these errors, or our grammar errors guide covers the mistakes examiners actually catch.
Here's what actually scores Band 7.
Example (Formal Complaint): Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding the defective laptop I purchased from your store on 15 August 2025.
Why it works:
Example (Enquiry Letter): Dear Mr. Patel, I am writing to inquire about the availability and cost of English language courses at your institution for the coming autumn term.
Why it works:
Example (Request Letter): Dear Dr. Hamilton, I am writing to request permission to postpone my enrolment in the Business Administration degree program from September 2025 to January 2026.
Why it works:
You've written your letter. You've got 90 seconds left. Here's your 60-second checklist:
If you got 5 yes answers, you're good. If you got 3 or fewer, rewrite that opening. You've got time. An IELTS essay checker can also validate these points automatically.
Pro tip: Set a timer for 2 minutes before the end of your 20-minute Task 1 block. Use that time to scan your opening line, closing line, and one paragraph in the middle. Examiners notice when the opening and closing are polished. It signals you have control.
Here are proven starters that work across different letter types. Use these as templates.
Notice the pattern: "I am writing to [verb] [specific thing]." That structure is bulletproof because it's grammatically unbreakable and it immediately signals your purpose.
Your opening is where you show lexical range. Don't waste it on basic words.
Instead of: "I want to complain"
Use: "I would like to lodge a complaint" or "I am writing to raise a concern"
Instead of: "Can you tell me about..."
Use: "I would appreciate information regarding..." or "Could you provide details about..."
Instead of: "I will come"
Use: "I will attend" or "I shall be present"
You're not showing off. You're showing precision. Band 7 writers use verbs and prepositions correctly and specifically. That's the difference between "I want info about your course" (Band 5) and "I would like to inquire about the course curriculum and fees" (Band 7).
The IELTS Lexical Resource descriptor for Band 7 says: "Uses less common lexical items accurately and appropriately; occasional errors in word choice do not impede communication." Your opening is where words like "lodge," "inquire," and "regarding" belong.
Format isn't scored as a separate criterion, but it's part of Task Response. The examiner checks if you've completed the task as requested. A proper letter format signals you understand the genre.
Your opening should look like this on the page:
Most IELTS test takers skip the address formatting and jump straight to the salutation. That's fine. But the salutation must be on its own line, and the first body paragraph must start on the next line. Don't cramp it all together.
Examiners notice the small stuff.
Mistake 1: Missing the comma after the salutation
You need the comma. Always. It's part of formal letter format. Without it, you look like you don't know the conventions. That's a Coherence and Cohesion issue because letter format is part of how your writing fits the task.
Wrong: Dear Sir or Madam (no comma)
Right: Dear Sir or Madam, (comma required)
Mistake 2: Mixing formal and informal tone from the start
Read your prompt carefully. If it says "write to your friend," you use "Dear [Name]," or even "Hi [Name]," and your whole letter is conversational. If it says "write to the university admissions office," you use "Dear Sir or Madam," or "Dear [Department Name]," and stay formal throughout.
A lot of students use "Dear Sir or Madam," and then write like they're texting a mate. That register inconsistency costs you on both Coherence and Lexical Resource. Our guide on letter tone and register detection digs into this more.
Mistake 3: Inventing names when you shouldn't
The prompt will tell you if you know the recipient's name. Use it if it's there. If the prompt says "write to the manager" but doesn't give a name, don't make one up. Use "Dear Sir or Madam," or "Dear Manager," if that fits.
Wrong: Dear Mr. Johnson, (name not in the prompt)
Right: Dear Sir or Madam, (safe and accurate)
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