Here's the thing: most Band 6 students think the letter salutation doesn't matter. They write "Dear Sir or Madam" and move on. Meanwhile, Band 7 and 8 students know that how you open a letter tells the examiner everything about your register control and awareness of formal conventions. One small mistake at the top of your letter can cost you points in Coherence & Cohesion and Lexical Resource.
You've got 20 minutes for Task 1. Spending 15 seconds getting the salutation right isn't wasting time. It's protecting your band score.
Let's walk through exactly what examiners are looking for, show you the mistakes that keep students stuck at Band 6, and teach you how to spot and fix them yourself. When you're ready, you can use our IELTS writing checker to get instant feedback on your letter openings.
The IELTS Writing Task 1 band descriptors don't mention salutations by name. That's the trap. But they do assess "appropriacy of register and style" under Lexical Resource and Coherence & Cohesion. Your salutation is the first signal you send about register.
Here's what happens: an examiner reads your letter. If you open with a sloppy salutation, they've already clocked you as someone who doesn't sweat the details. Even if your body paragraphs are solid, that initial impression sticks. Nail the opening, and you look like a candidate who understands formal writing conventions. That confidence carries forward.
Band 6 students often use correct but generic openings. Band 7 students choose openings that match the letter type precisely. There's a difference, and it shows.
IELTS letters fall into three categories: formal, semi-formal, and informal. Your salutation must match the tone.
Use these when writing to a business, organization, or person you don't know.
Correct formal openings:
Use these when there's a professional relationship but some personal warmth is appropriate.
Correct semi-formal openings:
Use these for personal relationships.
Correct informal openings:
Let's look at how salutation mistakes actually play out in Task 1 responses.
Scenario: You're writing to a university admissions office asking about application deadlines. You don't know anyone there.
Weak: "Hi there, I am writing to inquire about the application deadline for your university."
Why it fails: "Hi there" is too casual. You're writing to an institution, not your mate. The tone drops Band 7 to Band 6 instantly because it shows poor register control.
Strong: "Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to inquire about the application deadline for your undergraduate programs."
Why it works: Formal, appropriate, and sets the right tone for a business request. The examiner knows you understand context.
Scenario: You're requesting a day off from work. You've been at the company for two years and have a good relationship with your manager.
Weak: "Dear Ms. Johnson, I am writing to formally request a day off on 15th June."
Why it fails: Technically correct, but too stiff. You've worked together; the hyper-formality suggests you don't understand semi-formal conventions. It's like wearing a tuxedo to a work lunch.
Strong: "Dear Sarah, I hope you're well. I'm writing to request a day off on 15th June."
Why it works: Warm, professional, and shows register flexibility. You've hit the sweet spot between formal and friendly.
Scenario: You're writing to an old university friend asking if you can stay at their flat while visiting.
Weak: "Dear John, I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits."
Why it fails: You're using formal letter conventions for a friend. The overly formal opening contradicts the informal context. It feels robotic.
Strong: "Hi John, How've you been? I hope you're doing well."
Why it works: Natural, warm, and contextually appropriate. You sound like yourself, not a letter template.
Most Band 6 students make one of these five mistakes repeatedly. Watch for them in your own writing.
You write "Hi John," then follow with "I am writing to formally request your assistance." The shift is jarring. Pick a register and stick with it. If you start formal, stay formal. If you start casual, maintain that tone.
The prompt says "write to the hotel manager." You don't have their name. Some students panic and invent one: "Dear Mr. Henderson." Don't. Use "Dear Sir or Madam" or "Dear Hotel Manager." Inventing details shows you're guessing, and examiners spot it instantly.
These happen more than you'd think. "Dear Mr Smith" (missing the period after the title). "Dear Sir or Madam," followed by no new paragraph. The comma after "Madam" should sit there, then your opening line starts on a new line. Small errors cost you marks in Grammatical Range & Accuracy.
You're writing to your cousin about a birthday party, but you open with "Dear Cousin, I trust this correspondence finds you in satisfactory health." Your cousin will laugh. Use "Hey," "Hi," or "Dear [First Name]" depending on your relationship.
Some students think they'll impress the examiner with "Greetings and salutations" or "To whom it may concern." Stop. "To whom it may concern" is American business English and feels dated. Stick to the three core types. Standard, appropriate, and correct beats creative every time in IELTS.
Quick tip: When in doubt, check the prompt for clues. If it says "write to a friend named Alex," you can use "Hi Alex" or "Dear Alex." If it says "write to a government department," use "Dear Sir or Madam." The prompt always hints at register.
These rules are non-negotiable in Band 7 and above. Know them cold.
After the salutation, always use a comma. "Dear Ms. Chen," not "Dear Ms. Chen" (no punctuation). This applies to all three register levels.
Start your opening sentence on a new line. Don't write "Dear Sir or Madam I am writing to..." That's a run-on. Put it on a fresh line: "Dear Sir or Madam," [line break] "I am writing to..."
Use titles correctly. It's "Mr." not "Mr" (period is included in modern British English, which IELTS uses). Same with "Ms." and "Dr." Exception: if you use a full title like "Professor," it doesn't abbreviate to "Prof." You write "Dear Professor Smith," not "Dear Prof. Smith."
Don't capitalize the first letter after the comma. "Dear Mr. Johnson, i am writing..." is wrong. It should be "Dear Mr. Johnson, I am writing..." (capital I because it's a pronoun, not because it follows the salutation).
You don't have time to overthink during the exam. Use this checklist after you write your salutation. It takes one minute and catches most errors.
Done. That's it.
Pro tip: Print out this checklist and keep it on your desk during practice. After writing 5 to 10 practice letters, these rules will feel automatic. You won't need to check anymore.
You want to know the real difference? It's not just the salutation. It's how the salutation signals your overall control.
Band 6 salutations: Correct but generic. "Dear Sir or Madam" appears in every formal letter, even when there are clues about who the recipient is. The tone doesn't shift across informal and formal letters. Punctuation is usually right, but there's no sense of flexibility or sophistication.
Band 7 salutations: Appropriate to context. If the prompt gives a name, you use it. If it doesn't, you're smart about "Sir or Madam." You show register awareness by opening informal letters warmer and formal letters with professional distance. Punctuation is always correct. The opening line flows naturally from the salutation.
The examiner reads your salutation and makes an inference: does this candidate understand formal writing conventions? Band 6 says, "I know the rules." Band 7 says, "I know the rules and I know when to apply them."
Let's practice with actual-style prompts so you see how to pick your salutation in the moment.
Prompt 1: "You recently had a meal at a restaurant. Write a letter to the restaurant manager to complain about the service. Include where you went, what the problem was, and what you'd like them to do."
You don't have the manager's name. Open with: "Dear Sir or Madam," or "Dear Restaurant Manager," (both are correct). Stay formal. The letter is a complaint, which requires professional distance.
Prompt 2: "Your English friend Alex is visiting your country for a week. Write a letter to Alex suggesting activities and accommodation. Explain why you think Alex would enjoy each activity."
You know Alex's name and have a personal relationship. Open with: "Dear Alex," or "Hi Alex," (both work, but "Dear Alex" is slightly safer). Keep the tone warm and conversational. You're talking to a friend, not a business.
Prompt 3: "Write to your university course coordinator, Dr. Sarah Chen, requesting a change to your class schedule. Explain your reasons and propose an alternative."
You have a name, a title, and an established professional relationship. Open with: "Dear Dr. Chen," This is semi-formal. You're professional but not stiff. The salutation shows you respect her title.
Practice routine: Save your top 10 practice prompts and write out the salutation you'd use for each. After 10 letters, you won't need to think about it anymore. It becomes muscle memory.
A Band 6 letter has correct salutations but generic tone choices. A Band 7 letter shows register flexibility and awareness of audience. The salutation is where this difference becomes visible first.
When you use an IELTS writing checker, look for feedback on:
A Band 6 student revises based on a checklist. A Band 7 student uses feedback to see what register shifts look like in their actual writing. Use the feedback to build pattern recognition. After you submit 3 to 5 letters through a checker, you'll start seeing your own patterns. Maybe you always over-formalize informal letters. Maybe you invent names when you're nervous. Once you see the pattern, you can target it in practice.
If you're also struggling with tone consistency throughout the letter, check out our guide on maintaining register across the whole response to learn how Band 7 writers keep formal and informal writing separate and consistent.
Your salutation is your opening move. Get it right, and you signal to the examiner that you understand formal conventions and can adapt your tone. Get it wrong, and you're starting from a Band 6 foundation before you've written anything else.
The good news? This is one of the easiest wins in Task 1. Spend 15 seconds matching the salutation to the context. Use the five-point checklist. Practice 10 letters and you'll stop thinking about it. That's a quick band score boost.
Now that you've got salutations down, make sure the rest of your letter keeps that same register. Consistent register throughout is what separates Band 6 responses from Band 7 responses. When you're ready for a deeper dive, explore how other students use an essay checker to improve their IELTS writing across all task types.
Upload your IELTS letter and get instant feedback on your salutation, register, and overall band score. See exactly what separates Band 6 from Band 7.
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