Useful tips for IELTS Letter Writing
IELTS letter writing is a part of writing section of IELTS test. It tests a person’s English writing abilities. Acing this part can be quite easy if you prepare properly. In the IELTS Writing task 1, all you have to do is write a structurally correct letter with no spelling or grammar errors at all. Also, the language and sentence structures should be appropriate. In this blog, I will be discussing the useful tips for IELTS which will help you to ace the IELTS Letter Writing section.
Types of Essays in IELTS
- The types of essays in IELTS can be broadly divided into three categories: Formal, Informal, and Semi-formal letters.
- The letters written to the editors, head of departments, or government officials for addressing some issues or causes, can be termed as Formal letters.
- The letters written to friends or family for conveying personal messages can be termed as Informal letters.
- The third type of letters, termed as Semi-formal letters, are the ones in which you know the name of the person to whom you are writing the letter. The context of the letter is somehow formal and official.
- So, once you get your question paper in the exam hall, you need to read the letter writing IELTS question and comprehend what type of letter you have to write. The question will consist of all the information from which you can make out the type of letter you have to write. Then accordingly, you can start to organise your ideas for letter writing.
Useful IELTS Letter Writing Tips
Use the below mentioned tips while you are preparing or practicing for IELTS letter writing-
1. Create a Plan
Proper planning is always essential to do well in any test. It may seem odd to investa little extra time. But it will save your precious time because you will know exactly what to write & you will not get confused. Always remember to read the question and understand it properly so that you could organise your ideas and create a mental plan for the structure of your letter. Also, you should focus on using correct English in IELTS letter writing.
2. Pick the correct writing style
Once you understand the type of letter you have to write, you need to use the proper writing style for that letter. If the individual is a relative or a friend, then an informal style should be applied. We don’t have to seem so official to people we know well, and the letter should also have a friendly feel.
You must use a formal style if you have never met the person before and you don’t know his or her full name. For applications or when writing complaint letters, you should certainly use a formal style of IELTS letter writing.
3. Properly answer the entire question
The question is always going to have three footnotes. And in your letter, you are supposed to cover all three points. A nice thing to do is to divide them into three separate paragraphs, and then write properly about each point. This way, you will be sure that you have answered the whole question in detail. But do not write six to seven sentences for one point and just one sentence for another point.
4. Use proper grammar
While you write, do make sure that you do not make any grammatical mistakes. Also, try to write some complex sentences. It will help in boosting your scores in grammar. But only write complex sentences when you are entirely sure about them. Do not end up making grammatical mistakes and losing marks. Always use proper forms of tenses and verbs while writing the letter.
5. Take care of the word limit
The minimum word limit for IELTS letter writing is 150 words. You should keep in mind the word limit while writing the letter. Do make sure that your letter exceeds this minimum word limit. Otherwise, you will end up losing marks. With thorough practice, you will be able to comfortably write a good letter consisting of 150 words or more.
Conclusion
IELTS Letter writing is about writing properly and using the correct sentences and vocabulary. Your letter should represent your writing skills and language skills which you have acquired while practising for it. If you adhere to the required pattern and use grammatically correct and coherent sentences, then you can score well in this section.