General Information about IELTS General Writing Task 1 test

In this lesson, you will learn general information about IELTS General Writing Task 1 test with samples.

In IELTS Writing Task 1 General test GT, you will be asked to write a letter with at least 150 words within 20 minutes requesting information or explaining a situation. Candidates will be assessed about their ability to:

– Engage in personal correspondence
– Elicit and provide general factual information
– Express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
– Express opinions (views, complaints etc.)

Let’s see this example of a IELTS general writing task 1 and the steps to answer it to get band 7 or more.

IELTS General Writing Task 1 sample

Steps to answer IELTS General Writing Task 1

Step 1. Analyse the question

• What is the topic?

Find out by underlining the key words in the question.

You have been invited to go to a party and give a talk, but you cannot go to the party.

• Who are you writing to?

The letter is to the course director of your old college. The style of the letter should be formal or semi-formal.

• What is your purpose in writing the letter?

You should write to the director to apologize and to explain why you cannot attend. Suggest another date when you could give your talk or some other solution.

So, involve these three things:

• apologize (for not being able to attend);
• explain (why you cannot attend);
• suggest (another date).

Step 2. Make notes of ideas

Make a brief note of any ideas which you might use in your answer.

Examples:

• thank the director for the invitation
• say that you saw some college friends last week
• explain why the exam is important
• explain why the date of the exam cannot be changed
• talk about your new college
• ask how everyone is at the old college
• ask for details of the party
• say that you hope the party is a success
• say you can’t come to the party and apologize
• explain what you will say in your talk about studying overseas
• explain it is the first time you have ever been asked to give a talk like this
• say when you can come
• tell the director how to contact you

Step 3. Make a plan

Decide which of these ideas you will definitely use in the letter. Organize them.

Example:

1. thank the director for the invitation

2. apologize

3. why the exam is important

4. why the date of the exam cannot be changed

5. say when you can come

6. tell the director how to contact you

7. ask how everyone is at the old college

8. you hope the party is a success

Step 4. Write the letter following the plan.

Step 5. Check for mistakes

Pay attention to the following grammar items:

• Subject/Verb agreement
• Plurals
• Subject/Verb/Object
• Tenses
• Modals
• Word form
• Possessives
• Spelling, capitalization and punctuation
• Articles

If you found it difficult to make these corrections, you probably need to study some more English grammar. In addition to the categories of mistakes mentioned in the check-list, you should also make sure that you can use the following grammar points correctly:

• pronouns
• connecting words (conjunctions)
• conditional sentences
• relative clauses
• prepositions

Band 9 Sample answer 1

Band 9 Sample answer 2