Part 2: The language you need for IELTS GT letters
In IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you need to use language that is appropriate for the purpose of your letter.
In Part 1, you learned how to analyse the question and choose the appropriate tone. In this lesson, you’ll learn useful language and phrases for the different functions you may need to perform in an IELTS letter, such as making a request, complaining, apologising, giving advice and asking for information.
The advantage of learning these expressions is that you can adapt them to different IELTS letter questions, rather than memorising complete answers.
1. Making requests
In IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you may need to ask someone to do something, ask for permission or ask for information.
The language you use should depend on who you are writing to. Here are some useful ways to make requests, from less formal to more formal:
Less formal
- Can I/you…? (please)
- Could I/you possibly…?
- Would it be OK if I…?
- Is there any chance you could…?
- I was wondering if I could…?
- If you could…, that would be great.
Formal
- I would be grateful if you could…
- I would appreciate it if you could…
- I would like to know if it is possible for me to…
- Would you be able to…?
Remember: don’t automatically choose the most formal expression. Choose the request that is appropriate for your reader and the situation.
Want more practice with requests?
2. Complaining
Complaints in IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 are usually formal, particularly when you are writing to a company, organisation or someone you don’t know personally.
Your language should clearly explain the problem, express your dissatisfaction and, where appropriate, say what you would like the reader to do about it.
Useful language for formal complaints:
- I am writing to complain about…
- I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with…
- I am writing to express my concerns regarding…
- Unfortunately,…
- The main problem is…
- It does not work.
- It is not fit for purpose.
- I am/was disappointed with…
- The situation is unsatisfactory/unacceptable.
- In addition to this,…
- To make matters worse,…
- Not only… but also…
- I would like to request a refund/a replacement.
- I’m afraid I will have to…
- There are not enough… / There are too many…
Tip: Don’t feel that every sentence in a formal complaint needs to sound extremely sophisticated. Clear, precise language is more useful than unnecessarily complicated vocabulary.
For example:
The main problem is that the heating does not work.
is perfectly effective. You don’t need to turn it into:
The principal issue I am experiencing relates to the malfunctioning of the heating system.
The IELTS assessment criteria specifically require candidates to use vocabulary accurately and appropriately, and Task Achievement includes using a tone that is consistently appropriate to the task.
👉 Want to practise complaints in more detail?
See my How to write a letter of complaint lesson (Resource Library).
3. Giving advice and making suggestions
In IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you may need to give advice, make suggestions or recommend a course of action.
The language you choose depends on the person you are writing to. You can make your advice quite direct in an informal letter, while a formal or semi-formal letter may require more polite or indirect language. The important thing is that your language is appropriate for your reader and the situation.
Giving advice
- If I were you, I’d…
If I were you, I’d go by plane. - It might be a good idea to…
It might be a good idea to bring a jumper. - You could…
- Don’t bother…
Don’t bother bringing winter clothes. - You really must…
You really must visit the castle.
Making suggestions
- How about…?
How about going by train? - Why don’t we…?
Why don’t we hire a car? - Perhaps you/we could…
- Have you considered/thought about…?
Have you considered going by car? - Maybe it would be a good idea to…
- Shall I…?
Shall I pick you up?
Tip: Don’t try to memorise one “perfect” phrase for giving advice. Learn several ways to express the function so that you can choose language that fits the situation and your relationship with the reader.
Want to practise writing to someone you know in a semi-formal situation? See How to write to a colleague (Resource Library)
⚠️ Danger words: suggest and advise
Suggest and advise are useful verbs for giving advice, but students often make grammar mistakes with them because they take different structures.
Compare:
- He suggested going to London. ✅
- He suggested that I go to London. ✅
- He advised me to go to London. ✅
Don’t write:
- ❌ He suggested me to go to London.
- ❌ He advised going to London. (when you mean “he advised me to go”)
Remember
suggest + -ing
She suggested taking the train.
suggest + that + subject + verb
She suggested that I take the train.
advise + object + to + infinitive
She advised me to take the train.
4. Apologising
You may need to apologise for something you have done, something you cannot do, or a problem you have caused. Choose your language according to who you are writing to and the situation.
Informal
- Sorry I won’t be able to make it to your party.
- Sorry for the hassle/noise/short notice.
- I’m ever so sorry.
- I’m writing to say sorry about…
- I promise it won’t happen again.
- I’ll make it up to you, I promise.
- My bad! (very informal/colloquial)
Formal
- I am writing to apologise for…
- I sincerely apologise for the short notice.
- I owe you an apology.
- Please accept my sincerest apologies.
- I would like to express my sincere regret for…
- I hope you can accept my apology.
Tip: Don’t use the most formal expression simply because it sounds more impressive. For example, “I’m ever so sorry” may be much more appropriate than “I would like to express my sincere regret” when you’re writing to a friend.
Want more practice? See the full lesson: How to write a letter of apology (Resource Library)
5. Sharing news and information
You may need to tell someone about something that has happened, such as winning a competition, getting a new job, moving house or making an important discovery.
The language can be much more conversational in an informal letter.
Informal
- Guess what?
- Great news!
- You’ll never guess what’s happened!
- I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but…
- I’ve just found out/heard that…
- I’ve just won…
- The big news is that…
- I just wanted to let you know that…
Formal
- I am writing to inform you about…
- I am writing to let you know that…
- I am writing to inform you that…
Tip: In an informal letter, don’t be afraid to sound enthusiastic. Expressions such as “Guess what?” and “Great news!” help create a natural, friendly tone.
👉 See this example in the Resource Library: letter about winning a photography competition.
6. Expressing regret
You may need to explain that you wish you had done something differently in the past or that you are sorry something did not happen.
Useful expressions include:
- I shouldn’t have left it so late.
- I should have booked the hotel earlier.
- I wish I’d told her.
- If only I’d known about this before.
- If I’d known about it, I could have done something.
Useful grammar
These expressions are all ways of talking about past situations that you regret or wish had been different.
should have + past participle
I should have booked the hotel earlier.
You are saying that booking earlier would have been a better choice.
wish + past perfect
I wish I’d told her.
You are saying that you regret not telling her.
if only + past perfect
If only I’d known about this before!
This expresses a strong feeling of regret about something you did not know.
if + past perfect, could/would have + past participle
If I’d known about it, I could have done something.
This explains what would have been possible if the situation had been different.
7. Explaining what happened
Some IELTS General Training Task 1 letters ask you to explain what happened, for example why you were late, why you missed an appointment or what happened during a problem or experience.
This is a useful skill for the IELTS Speaking Test too. To explain events clearly, you can use:
- Narrative tenses: Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect
- Adverbs to show your attitude or the order of events: unfortunately, luckily, finally, eventually, obviously, sadly
- Time linkers to show when things happened: as soon as, while, when, after, before
For example:
As soon as we arrived, we noticed the problem. Unfortunately, the restaurant had closed early. We had been looking forward to the meal, so we were very disappointed.
Tip: When you explain what happened, make the sequence of events clear. Don’t just list a series of past-tense sentences.
8. Saying thank you
You may need to thank someone for their help, time, advice or consideration in an IELTS General Training Task 1 letter.
As always, choose language that matches who you are writing to and the situation.
Informal
- Cheers! (very informal)
- Thanks a lot for your help.
- Thanks ever so much for helping me move house.
- Many thanks for your help.
Formal
- I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your help.
- I would like to thank you for your help.
- Thank you for your time/assistance/response/consideration.
- Your help is/was/would be greatly appreciated.
Tip: Don’t use “Cheers!” simply because you want to sound informal. It is quite colloquial and can sound more natural in a friendly letter than in a semi-formal one.
9. Asking for information
You may need to ask for information in an IELTS General Training Task 1 letter. You can use direct or indirect questions, depending on the situation and the level of politeness you need.
Direct question
What’s the name of the hotel?
This is natural in an informal letter to someone you know well.
Indirect questions
Could you tell me what the name of the hotel is?
Do you by any chance know what the name of the hotel is?
These can sound more polite and are particularly useful in semi-formal or formal situations.
More formal
I would be grateful if you could tell me the name of the hotel.
Other useful expressions
- I hope you don’t mind me asking.
- I am writing to enquire about…
- I am writing in response to an article published in…
Remember: indirect questions are not automatically “better” than direct questions. Use them when they make your request more appropriate or polite.
10. Applying for job/volunteer roles
You may need to write a job application letter or apply for a volunteer position in IELTS General Training Writing Task 1. These letters are normally formal, so you need to use an appropriate professional tone.
Useful language includes:
- I would like to apply for the position of…
- At present, I am working/employed at…
- As you can see from my CV,…
- I have a great deal of experience in…
- I have considerable experience in…
- I am very good at…
- I believe my experience could be useful in this role.
- I will be available from…
Make your experience relevant
When you apply for a job or volunteer role, don’t just list your skills. Explain how your experience is relevant to the position.
For example:
I have a great deal of experience working with animals, so I believe I would be well suited to this role.
This is more effective than simply writing:
I have experience with animals.
Want to see how to organise a complete job application letter? See
👉 See the full lesson in the Resource Library: How to write a job application
11. Invitations
You may need to invite someone to an event, celebration, party or other occasion in an IELTS General Training Task 1 letter.
Choose your language according to who you are writing to and the situation.
Formal
- I would be honoured if you could attend my party this Friday evening.
- Please join us for a celebration on Friday evening.
Semi-formal
- We’re having a party/a little get-together on Saturday.
- We’d love you to join us.
- Would you like to come?
- You should come!
- Hope to see you there!
Informal
- We’re having some friends over for drinks on Friday. Wanna come?
- Do you fancy coming?
Tip: “Wanna come?” is very conversational and should only be used when you are writing to someone you know well. You don’t need to use slang or very informal expressions to make your letter sound natural.
GRAMMAR you may need for these functions
The language above uses a range of grammar structures. You don’t need to use all of them in every letter, but you should be able to use the appropriate structures accurately and naturally when you need them.
Here are some useful areas to review:
- Past Simple and Past Continuous: for explaining what happened
I was on my way to the party when my car broke down. - Present Perfect: for experiences, situations that continue to the present, or recent events
I’ve lived here all my life.
I’ve just come back from my holiday. - Past Perfect: for explaining something that happened before another past event
I had already booked the hotel when I found out about the cancellation. - Present Perfect Continuous: for an activity that started in the past and continues up to the present
I’ve been attending your classes for three months. - Will and going to: for future plans, decisions and predictions
I’m going to visit my parents next weekend.
I’ll give you a call when I arrive. - Reported speech: for reporting what someone said
He said he couldn’t fix it. - Reporting verbs: for explaining what someone said, promised or told you
You promised that you would…
You assured me that… - Linking words and time expressions: to connect ideas and show relationships between events
as a result, because, however, as soon as, while - Gerunds and infinitives: after particular verbs and expressions
I enjoy swimming.
I’d like to visit you. - Conditionals: for possible consequences and hypothetical situations
If this isn’t fixed soon, I’ll have to… - Adjectives and adverbs: to describe problems, experiences and feelings precisely
The tables were dirty. → The tables were absolutely filthy. - Phrasal verbs and informal expressions: particularly useful when writing to someone you know well
Sorry I can’t make it to your party.
I’ll pick you up at the station.
The important thing
Don’t try to use complicated grammar just to impress the examiner. Choose grammar that helps you express your ideas clearly and accurately.
For example, if you’re explaining why you were late, you might naturally need several past tenses. If you’re making a request, you might need a conditional or an indirect question.
The grammar should come from the message you want to communicate, not the other way around.
Ready for Part 3?
Now that you know the language you need for different functions, learn how to make your informal IELTS letters sound more natural with everyday vocabulary, phrasal verbs and expressions.
Want help practising?
You can use AI to get feedback on your grammar, vocabulary and tone while you practise writing GT letters. Learn how to use AI to improve your IELTS writing (Resource Library).
About Fiona
Fiona is an IELTS trainer, ex-examiner and course creator based in the UK. She has a Master’s in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Distinction) and over 35 years of teaching experience. She has helped thousands of IELTS candidates develop the language and exam skills needed to achieve their target scores.
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