This PPT gives an overview of how to write letters for the General IELTS exam. I've included some examples of questions and answers. You can find a complete guide to this at my website: https://ted-ielts.com/how-to-write-the-perfect-letter-ielts-general/

1. Writing the
PERFECT letter
for IELTS

2. What to Do:
The Basics
Write a letter to someone
20 minutes to write 150 words

3. Language:
Formal or Informal?
Informal Semi-formal Formal
Friends
Family
Co-workers
An old acquaintance
Your boss
The council
Your landlord
An official or someone
in a position of
authority

4. Language:
Formal or Informal?
Informal Semi-formal Formal
Greeting
someone
To Sally
Hi Sally
Hey Sally
Dear Sally Dear Mrs. Baker
Introduction How’ve you been?
How are things?
How’s everything
with you?
I need to let you
know about…
I would like to ask
you…
I am writing to
enquire about…
The purpose of this
letter is to…
Signing off Thanks!
Cheers
Best
Best wishes
Yours Sincerely

5. What to Say
Answering the Question Fully

6. What to Say
Your local council is considering closing a sports and leisure
center that it runs, in order to save money.
Write a letter to the local council. In your letter:
▰ give details of how you and your friends or family use the
center.
▰ explain why the sports and leisure center is important for the
local community.
▰ describe the possible effects on local people if the center
closes.
EXAMPLE #1

7. What to Say
Write a letter to your friend regarding an item of furniture that
you would like to give away. In your letter:
▰ say what it is that you want to give away.
▰ explain why you want to give away this furniture.
▰ tell them how to collect the item.
EXAMPLE #2

8. Generating Ideas
Be realistic but imaginative
Answer the question fully
I wrote an article about generating ideas
for IELTS a few months ago that might be
helpful.

9. Sample Answers

10. Answer #1
Dear Sir or Madam,
I recently read in the local newspaper the distressing news that you
are considering closing our local sports center. While I understand
the importance of maintaining the council’s budget, I really must
disagree with this closure.
The sports center is very important to the community as it provides
a place for people to get fit and to make friends. In these days of
fast food and desk jobs, it is more important than ever that we have
a place to get some exercise. Young people use it to build important
skills, and people of all ages meet their friends there to do sports
together. Robbing us of this would be an incredibly poor decision.
My friends and I use the sports center every week to play tennis. It
is our only option, and I do hope that you don’t take it away from us.
There are so many people like us, and removing this sports center
would cause great damage to our lives and our community.
Yours sincerely,
David Wills

11. Hi Sam,
I’m moving out of my house in two weeks and I remember last year you
said that you really liked my old oak dining table. If you want, you can
have it at no cost. My new place doesn’t really have much space for that
sort of thing, and anyway I don’t often have big meals with lots of people.
So let me know if you’d like it.
If you do want it, obviously we’ll have to figure out the details of getting it
from my house to yours. It’s not going to be easy! I suppose you’ll need
to hire a big van or maybe get a moving company to come and sort it all
out for you. As I said, I move in two weeks, so there is a time limit on this.
The new people move in just after I move out, so it’s best to get it sorted
before then.
Give me a call and we can arrange the pick-up.
Cheers,
David
Answer #2

12. Remember to:
• read the question carefully
• answer all parts
• pick an appropriate tone for your
letter
• try to think of ideas quickly
• leave yourself time at the end of
the exam to check your answers
Finally