One of the most common reasons candidates lose marks in Task 1 is inconsistent tone. The tone of your letter (formal or informal) directly affects your word choice, phrasing, grammar, and even punctuation.
IELTS examiners look for consistency — if your task is formal, your entire letter must remain formal from beginning to end, and vice versa.
Failing to do this can hurt your scores in both Task Achievement and Coherence and Cohesion.
🧭 How to Identify the Correct Tone
Before you start writing, ask yourself:
- Who am I writing to?
- What is my relationship with this person?
Use this simple cheat sheet:
| Situation | Tone |
|---|---|
| Writing to a company, manager, officer | Formal |
| Writing to a friend or family member | Informal |
| Writing to someone you don’t know well | Formal |
🔤 Key Differences: Formal vs Informal Tone
| Aspect | Formal Example | Informal Example |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Dear Sir/Madam / Dear Mr. Ali | Hi Sarah / Dear Ali |
| Opening Line | I am writing to inform you… | Just wanted to tell you… |
| Vocabulary | purchase, residence, assist, inquire | buy, home, help, ask |
| Phrasing | I would be grateful if you could… | Can you please…? |
| Sign-off | Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully | Best wishes / Cheers / Take care |
📝 Example Prompt
You borrowed a book from a friend but lost it. Write a letter to your friend.
✅ This is clearly informal. You know the person personally. Your letter should use casual language, contractions, and a friendly tone.
Don’t write:
“I am writing this letter to inform you of the unfortunate loss of the item in question.”
Instead, write:
“I’m really sorry, but I lost the book you lent me. I feel terrible about it.”
💡 Tone Traps to Avoid
🚫 Mixing tones:
Starting with a formal greeting and ending with “Cheers” is a red flag.
🚫 Over-apologizing in formal tone:
Formal doesn’t mean robotic — be respectful, not cold.
🚫 Using slang or emojis in formal letters:
Keep contractions, slang, and emoji strictly for informal letters only.
✅ Quick Tips to Maintain Tone
- Underline keywords in the prompt that suggest who you’re writing to.
- Create a quick checklist before writing:
- Greeting ✅
- Vocabulary ✅
- Expressions ✅
- Sign-off ✅
- Reread your letter after writing — does it feel like a conversation with a friend or a message to a company?
🧠 Exercise for Practice
Task: Write two short openings (2–3 lines each) for this prompt:
“You are writing to a neighbor about a noise complaint.”
- Formal version
- Informal version
Compare the tone, vocabulary, and phrasing. Practicing this regularly will sharpen your instincts during the actual test!
📦 Wrap-Up
✔️ Use the correct tone (formal/informal)
✔️ Keep it consistent throughout the letter
✔️ Adapt your vocabulary, greeting, and sign-off to match the tone
✔️ Review for tone mistakes before submitting
Getting this right is like dressing appropriately for the occasion — the right tone shows awareness, control, and communication skills, all essential for that Band 8+ result! 🎯✨
