Ielts Writing Task 1 Gt: Engvish

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IELTS WRITING TASK 1 GT

MY ENGVISH ACADEMY No. – 7, 8, 17 Shree Siddheshvar Plaza, Nr- Sardar Estate, New VIP Rd, Vadodara Contact: 082 6482 9179 Email: [email protected]

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Spend 20 mins on this letter. Spend 3 -5 mins planning and then the rest writing. Always leave 2 mins to check your letter for spelling or grammar mistakes. You will need a full 40 mins for task 2, so don’t go over 20 mins for task 1. It is your responsibility to control the time in your writing test. You must write over 150 words (aim for between 160 and 180 to be safe). Writing a letter over 300 words is a waste of time. Your letter is worth 33% of your final writing score. You do NOT need to write an address on the letter It is essential that you use the three points to structure your letter and provide the foundation for the information. All points must be included clearly in your letter. If you fail to include all the points in your letter, your band score will be lower. You must use your imagination to fill in details and decide the names of the people in your letter. Begin your letter by addressing the person and then an opening line. Always sign off appropriately.

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Types of IELTS Letter There are three different types of letters: personal, semi-formal and formal. Each type of letter will use different language. It will have a different beginning and a different way of signing off. Your first task, before you start writing, is to decide which type of letter you must write by identifying the task given. Below are examples of the three different types of letters. 1. Informal (Personal) A personal letter is to someone you have a close personal relationship with about a social situation or personal situation. Example: You would like to invite a foreign friend to visit you for your birthday. Write a letter inviting your friend. In your letter: tell your friend about your birthday, explain how much the visit would mean to you, suggest that your friend stays at your house for the visit.

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2. Semi-formal A semi-formal letter is to someone you have a close personal relationship with, such as a friend, whom you are writing about a formal or serious situation such as work. This means it’s to someone you know informally about something formal = semi-formal. A personal relationship means you share your private life (your home life) with that person = a friend. It does not mean your teacher, your boss, your manager or anyone else you know in a formal setting such as school or work. Example: Your friend has a travel company and would like you to come and work with him. Write a letter replying to your friends offer. In your letter: explain what you know about your friend’s company, choose whether you accept or decline the offer, give reasons for your choice

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3. Formal A formal letter is to someone you know in a formal way (a landlord, a boss, a manager, a teacher etc) or someone you have not met and whose name you don’t know (customer services, local council, hotel manager etc) about a serious or formal situation. Example: You are interested in applying for a scholarship program to study at a foreign University. Write a letter to inquire about the course. In your letter: explain which course you are interested in, tell what you know about the University, explain why you should receive the scholarship.

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Some of the common contents for letters. Although there are hints about whether the letters are usually formal or not, please note that you will know the style by reading the instructions given to you. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)

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complaints (usually formal) invitations (usually personal or semi-formal) applications or resignations (usually formal) request (any style common) making arrangements (often formal) explanation (sometimes semi-formal or personal) informative / newsletter (often personal/ semi-formal but formal can also appear) apology (could be any style)

Hence, the aim of the letter depends on the contents of the letter, which must be in accordance of the given scenario to achieve the Task response.

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How to Open and Sign Off the Letter

• Opening: - Letters usually start with an opening statement which explains the reason for writing the letter. This

opening statement varies depending on whether you are writing a formal or informal letter. Below are two examples of an opening statement. Can you spot which one is formal and which one is informal? - You use “Sir / Madame” when we don’t know the person’s name that you are writing to, for example when you write to the manager of a hotel or the local council. You do not use these titles if you know the name of the person. You should NOT use those titles in your speaking test. - You can also write a formal letter to someone whose name you know. You can use either “Mr Sharma” or “Rahul Sharma”. - A) I am writing this letter with regards to the scholarship program to study at London University which I read in Sunday Times on December 1st, 2014. - B) It’s been so long since we last were in touch but I haven’t forgotten all the wonderful times we spent together last year. It’s my birthday coming up and I wanted to invite you over to stay at my place for the celebration. - C) I’m just writing to say thank you for the offer of joining your company. Answer - A is formal, B is personal (informal) and C is semi-formal

• Signing Off - Depending on the style and aim of the letter, you will need to adapt your final sentence or -

comment. Dear Sir / Madame = Yours faithfully, (formal letters) Dear Mr Robson = Yours sincerely, (formal letters) Dear John Robson = Yours sincerely (formal letters) Hi Dave / Dear Dave = See you soon, / Take care, / All the best (informal or semi-formal) We use no title and no last name when we write to a friend. Below are some examples of final comments before signing off, can you tell which ones are formal and which not? It’ll be great to catch up again soon. Give my best to everyone in the family. I look forward to hearing from you. Answers The first one is personal and the second one is formal. Names You should write a name at the end of your letter. You can use your name or you can invest one. Dear Sir = Yours faithfully, Rahul Sharma (always with a family name but with or without a title) Dear Mr Thakkar = Yours sincerely, Mr Rahul Sharma (always with a family name but with or without a title) Hi Dave or Dear Dave = See you soon, Rahul (not title and no family name because it is informal)

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Language, Style and Grammar of Letter

- Grammar: Formal and Informal - Formal and informal (friendly) letters contain different language and style of writing. While informal

letters can contain contractions (I’m writing …), these contractions are unacceptable in formal writing so you need to write the words in full (I am writing …. …). - In a formal letter, you could write “I am writing with regards to ….”. whereas for a semi-formal letter you can write “I’m writing about…” or “I’m writing to say….” or “I just want to let you know that...”. So, it is important to adapt your writing to suit the style of the letter. Also remember to use a range of different sentence structures in order to get a high score. • Vocabulary: - Formal and Informal - For vocabulary, be very careful using academic language in a personal letter. This would be inappropriate and will reduce your band score rather than increase it. Here are some examples of the difference between formal and informal language: - You will be collected at the airport = I’ll pick you up at the airport - The next available appointment is on Thursday = how about we meet up on Thursday? - I would like to invite you to visit my house on…. = Why don’t you pop round to my place on …. - I highly recommend that you come in August = it’d be great if you came in August - Please respond at the earliest convenience = Get back to me as soon as you can - Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend on … = Sorry, but I won’t be able to make it on … - Don’t forget to be careful about your spellings and punctuations, without this accuracy it’s hard to cross 6 band in this task.

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Structure and Paragraphs

- You must also organise your letter into paragraphs. This is an essential part of your letter writing and

the examiner will be marking you on your ability to use effective paragraphing. In IELTS writing task 1 (GT), the letter structure below is most common as it usually follows the three points which you must include in your letter. However, you must adapt it to suit the task given to you by IELTS. So, spend time reading the instructions and deciding your paragraphing.

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title opening statement – reason for writing body paragraph A (one point with detail) body paragraph B (another point with detail) closing statement (if needed) signing off name (choose a name or use your own)

Planning & Writing

You should spend at least 3 or 4 minutes planning your letter. To plan it perfectly think and be careful about, What points you are asked to provide in your letter? - read the instructions What type is it Formal? Informal or Semi-formal? Decide how to open the letter Based on the content what style will you use? Language and Grammar? How would you achieve your required length keeping the tone, style and type in mind? Think about how many paragraphs you will have and where to put each point This requires you to think about a suitable story or details which can fulfil the purpose of the letter. Decide how to close the letter Start writing Check once you finish writing to check any error with spelling, grammar, style or punctuation. That’s all. Done!

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Useful Phrases for IELTS Writing Task 1 - IELTS General Module Writing Task-1 requires candidate writing a letter, herewith I have presented few of the possibly used phrases to help you start writing letter and express certain thoughts. - Keep in mind these are not to be mugged up, then how to use these? - How should you use this list? Well first of all, I recommend that you DON’T do what I see a lot of candidates do; learn the list off by heart! - You should look at the phrases and think about the situation / context you would use it in. When you’re doing IELTS Writing Test Task 1 practice letters, think about which phrases are suitable and use them. -

F –is for Formal

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IF- is for Informal

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SF- is for Semi-Formal

o Referring to previous contact - It was good / nice to hear from you….… (IF) - Thank you, for / With reference to / Further to / In reply, to your letter of / dated………. (F) o Beginnings / Introductory phrases - I’m sorry I haven’t written / haven’t been in touch for such a long time… (IF) - It’s been ages since I’ve heard from you. I hope you’re well…… (IF) - I am writing to enquire about / to confirm that / to inform you of….. (F) o Apologising - I am writing to apologise for / about…. - I am sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. - I'm sorry about/ that... - I'm very sorry about... - I'm very sorry for... - Please forgive me for... - I'd like to apologize for... - Please accept my apologies. - Please accept my sincere apologies. (Very formal) o Giving news / information - I thought you might be interested to hear about / to know that…… - This is just to let you know that………. (IF) - By the way, have you heard about / did you know that……. (IF) o Expressing concern / sympathy - I was sorry to hear about... (your accident/ illness) - I am writing to express my concern about….

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o Giving bad news - I regret to inform you that...(semi-formal) - I am sorry to tell you that...(informal) - I regret to advise you that...(formal) - I am afraid I have some bad news. (informal) o Giving good news - I am pleased to inform you that...(semi-formal) - I am delighted to tell you that...(informal) - I am happy to advise you that...(formal) - I thought you might like to know that... o Recommending / giving advice - I would/wouldn’t recommend…… - If I were you, I’d …………. (IF) - Would it be a good idea to...? - Perhaps it would be a good idea to... o Asking for Help - I'd be grateful if you could... - I would be grateful if you could... - I would appreciate it if you could... - Could you please...? - I was wondering of you could help me (informal) - I would like to know... o Asking for Information - I am writing to enquire about... - I am writing to find out about... - What I am looking for is... - I would like to know about/if... o Complaining / expressing dissatisfaction - I'm writing to express my dissatisfaction with... - I'm writing to express my annoyance with... - I am not happy about... - ...was very disappointing. o Conveying regards - Please give my best regards to your family. - Please pass on my best wishes to your wife and children. - Please give my regards to your parents. o Expressing satisfaction - I was delighted to hear that... - I was very happy to learn that... - I was thrilled to find out that... - I was glad to hear that... - ...was very enjoyable

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o Giving reasons - This is because... - This is because of... - This is due to... (formal) - This is as a result of...(formal) - This is owing to...(formal) o Endings / Concluding comments - I look forward to hearing from you soon / in due course………… (F) - Looking forward to hearing from / seeing you soon………… (IF) - Once again, thank you for all your help…………. - Give my regards / love to…………. (IF) - If you have any further questions, please contact me on …. (F) - I look forward to seeing you. - I look forward to hearing from you. - I look forward to meeting you. o Thanking - Thanks. - Thank you. - Thank you very much. - Thank you kindly. - I can't thank you enough. - No words can express my gratitude. - I am extremely grateful for... - I very much appreciate your ______ing.

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FORMAL LETTERS

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1.

You asked the bank for a new chequebook two weeks ago but you haven’t received anything. Write a letter to the manager complaining about the service. Say how and when you ordered the chequebook. Tell them when you need the chequebook by and ask the manager to send it to you before this date. Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to you to express my disappointment with the poor service I have received from your bank recently and in particular with regards to the chequebook that I ordered two weeks ago that has still not been arrived. I run a small business that uses many different suppliers and need to write many cheques to ensure that I pay them on time and do not damage the good relationships I have with them. After realising that I would need a new chequebook on the 12th of April I went to the Waghodiya branch of the Bank of Baroda, Vadodara to request a new chequebook and was told that it should arrive within five working days. As of the 26th of April, it still has not arrived and I have now used up all the remaining cheques in my current book. I would be most grateful if you could ensure that I receive a new chequebook no later than the 30th of April because that is when many of my bills fall due. Yours sincerely, Rajendra Sharma (Note: This question asks students to write a letter in regards to a simple request for a new chequebook that has not yet been received. The request is short making it difficult for students to reach the word the limit unless they develop a scenario that is detailed. In this case the letter includes the impact of not having the chequebook as well as the urgency of the request in order to reach the word limit. Since the letter is related to business/professional matters it is important that a formal style is used in the both the forms of address and the style of writing. The opening paragraph describes the purpose for writing the letter while he second paragraph describes the situation facing the writer of the letter. The first sentence in this paragraph is used to describe the importance of the request. The second to describe what action has been taken by the writer and their expectations, while the third paragraph describes the current situation. The second paragraph is slightly over 100 words and the details of the scenario that have been imagined are critical in ensuring that the word limit is reached. The third paragraph is one sentence and describes the request that is being made and the reason that itis important that the author receives the chequebook on time.)

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2.

You have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge receipt of a new bank card. However, the card was missing from the envelope. Write a letter to the bank's head office. In your letter: • explain why you are writing • express concern about the missing card • ask them what they intend to do Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any address. Begin your letter as follows: Dear __________

Dear Sir / Madam I am writing in connection with a missing or stolen debit card from your bank. This is an urgent matter as the bank card could prove dangerous in the hands of the wrong person. Just yesterday, I received a letter from your bank's head office. It stated that my new bank card was enclosed and asked me to acknowledge receipt. However, when the envelope arrived in my mailbox, it was in a tattered state. More importantly, the debit card which was supposed to be included, was missing. I checked and rechecked around the mailbox, but found nothing. I am concerned that someone has gone through my mail and possibly stolen the card. For this reason, I request that you cancel the existing debit card immediately. The debit card in question is related to my account number 64729401 at your Bay and Bloor branch. After it has been cancelled, please arrange to send me a new one, as I need to travel overseas next week and will need to carry the new bank card with me. Thank you in advance, Yours faithfully, Rajiv Shukla

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SEMI-FORMAL LETTERS

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3.

You are studying for a qualification, and you would like some time off work to complete it. • Write a letter to your manager. In your letter: • Ask for some time off to complete a qualification. • Suggest what you will do later at work if you have time off. • Say how the qualification helps your job or company.

Dear Mr Kapur, I am writing this letter to request you to grant a fortnight leave from the day after tomorrow, 23 rd June, which I need in order to complete my Master’s degree in Engineering. I almost finished writing my thesis, which must be submitted to my university by June 30th. Unfortunately, all my annual leave has been used up. Any time I took off, would naturally be unpaid; I would also check my email daily, and be available for emergency phone calls. On return, I would endeavour to come into the office earlier than usual and work Saturdays in order to catch up on anything I had missed. I have already spoken about my situation to my colleagues Mr Krunal Varma and Ms Anjali Sheth, who are both willing to assume my responsibilities for two weeks. I realise my temporary absence could be an inconvenience to you and the rest of the team, but in the long term, our company will benefit from my research. As you may be aware, I have been investigating 3-D printing for some time, and my thesis compares three printers already on the market with two designs pending patent and production. Since our company is considering developing software for these printers, my expertise will help give us a competitive edge. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Rohit Verma

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4.

Write a letter to complain about a dangerous situation when some adolescents let their dogs run wild in public. Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to you in regards to a group of adolescents that regularly allow their dogs to run free at Kareli Baugh in our city, where young children can often be found running or playing with equipment provided for them. Often on a Saturday morning their area group of young people at Kareli Baugh who allow their dogs to run free throughout the park and threaten other users of the park, particularly the elderly and small children. On one occasion a large dog ran into a small child. Fortunately, the child although very frightened, was not harmed by the incident. However, there is the risk that one of these dogs could attack a small child or an elderly person leading to very serious consequences. I am requesting that some of your rangers visit the park on the weekend and observe the problem and take appropriate action to ensure the safety of the community, Kind regards, Mihir Modi Notes: This question is challenging because the request is a simple complaint and it can be challenging for students to reach the word the limit. To reach the minimum word limit in this case it is necessary to develop a reasonably complex scenario and describe an incident involving dogs at the park. The opening paragraph describes the problem of allowing dogs to run free in a park. It should be noted that the author has used names of the park, suburb and council involved in order to give the letter an authentic feel. The second paragraph is used to provide additional information about the problem and describing an incident makes the letter longer, as does describing the risks of future events. The third paragraph describes the specific action that is being requested. Overall the letter is just over the 150-word minimum length.

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INFORMAL LETTERS

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5.

You have a friend who is about to go to a university, and he wants you to suggest to him on which course to take–philosophy, in which he is very interested, or computer science, which offers better job prospects. Dear Sachin, Thanks for your letter; it was great to hear from you again. Also, many congratulations for getting a place at Nirma University. Nirma is undoubtedly one of the best universities in the world and I am sure your parents are very proud of your achievement. With regards to the question of whether you should study Philosophy that you have been passionate about for many years or Computer Science, which would give you much better career options, I think you have a really difficult decision to make. My suggestion is to do a double degree. I think it is important to have a backup plan so I would consider focusing on your Philosophy as that is your true passion but have Computer Science in case you are not able to find a job related to Philosophy. I think this choice is a very personal one, but my choice would be to go with your passion and choose Philosophy if you are unable to do a double major. You only live once and it is important that you do things that you love. Congratulations on getting into such a well-known university and good luck with your choice. I am confident you will choose wisely, With very best wishes, Hardik Notes: This letter is to a friend and should have an informal style. The opening paragraph of the letter is designed to make the letter feel authentic to the reader and does not address the question. The second paragraph explains the two choices and the advantages and disadvantages of the two paths. The second sentence acknowledges the difficulty of making a choice. The recommendation is clearly stated in the third sentence of the paragraph. The fourth sentence explains the detailed position of the reader, which is that it is better to do what you love but it is also a good idea to have a backup plan. The first sentence of third paragraph is to make it clear to the reader that they must make the choice for themselves and be happy with that choice. The intention of the writer is to give information and his opinion but at the same time give freedom to choose to go against the advice that is given. It is also culturally normal to write positively, be supportive and focus on advantages of a particular course of action rather than give warnings about choosing an undesirable path. The last paragraph adopts a supportive and confident tone and is respectful of the choice made by the person receiving the advice.

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6.

Last month you had an overseas holiday with some friends where you stayed at their house. They have just sent you some holiday photos. Write a letter to your friends. In your letter: * thank them for the holiday and the photos * explain why you didn’t write earlier * invite them to come and stay with you

Hi Jay and Ajay, How are you both? I hope this letter finds you well. Although it’s such a short time since we last saw each other, it feels much longer. Thank you so much not only for such a memorable holiday but also for the lovely photos that you sent of our holiday together. It brought it all back to me so vividly. Staying with you and seeing where you live was a real eye-opener for me. Australia is certainly a scenic country with remarkable landscape and wildlife, particularly up in the north where you are. Sorry, it has taken me so long to write back and thank you. Almost as soon as we landed back in the UK, my mother became sick. Since then we’ve been running around looking after her and getting carers sorted out. She seems to be improving now and hopefully will be back to normal soon. Next month, we’ll be celebrating our Wedding Anniversary and we’d be delighted if you could come over to celebrate it with us. It’ll be a chance for you to meet the rest of the family and see a bit of England. Of course, you must stay with us. There’s plenty of room and we’ll pick you up at the airport. I really hope you can make it. Take care and write back soon. Vijay

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