Formal Letter
Written to an authority figure, company, or formal organisation. Includes letters of complaint, job applications, or requests for information.
Semi-Formal Letter
Written to someone you know but not closely — a colleague, a neighbour, or a casual acquaintance. Polite but not rigid.
Informal Letter
Written to close friends or family members. A relaxed, conversational tone is expected and appropriate.
Key facts
Word count: Aim for around 150 words. Writing significantly more or less can affect your score.
Time: You should spend around 20 minutes on Task 1, leaving 40 minutes for the more heavily weighted Task 2.
Task types include: responding to a situation, expressing thanks, making a complaint, requesting information, or writing an invitation.
Assessment Criteria
Task Achievement
How well you address the purpose of the letter and respond to all parts of the prompt.
Coherence & Cohesion
The organisation of your letter — logical flow, clear paragraphing, and appropriate formatting.
Lexical Resource
The range, accuracy, and variety of vocabulary you use throughout the letter.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Your use of grammar, sentence structure, and the variety of sentence types.
6 key tips
Read the prompt carefully. Understand which type of letter is required and exactly what points you must cover.
Match your tone to the situation. Formal letters need formal language; informal letters can use contractions and a friendly tone.
Organise your letter clearly. Use a proper opening, structured body paragraphs, and a suitable closing.
Address all bullet points. Every point in the prompt must be covered — missing one will lower your Task Achievement score significantly.
Practise different letter types. Familiarise yourself with formal, semi-formal, and informal styles so you're ready for any scenario.
Proofread. Leave a minute or two at the end to check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.