Practice IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 with real exam-style letter prompts covering all 3 letter types — Formal, Semi-Formal and Informal. Write in the timed environment and receive a detailed examiner-style evaluation with grammar corrections, register feedback, vocabulary upgrades and a personalised study plan.
computerielts.com provides free IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 practice tests covering all three letter types across a wide range of real-life topics. Each test replicates the actual exam experience — a timed 20-minute environment, 150-word minimum, and a detailed examiner-style evaluation across all four IELTS criteria: Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Whether you are targeting Band 6 for visa purposes or Band 7+ for immigration and nursing registration, this is the most comprehensive free IELTS GT letter writing practice available online.
Our IELTS General Writing Task 1 prompts cover the most frequently tested letter topics — Complaint Letters, Request Letters, Job Applications, Invitation Letters, Apology Letters, Recommendation Requests, Accommodation Issues, Leave Requests, Neighbour Problems, and News Corrections. All three letter types are included: Formal Letter (to an unknown authority), Semi-Formal Letter (to a known professional), and Informal Letter (to a friend or family member). After submitting your letter, the AI evaluator checks tone & register, grammar errors, vocabulary range, and generates a personalised 3-step study plan. No signup needed — start practising IELTS General Writing Task 1 right now.
A strict 20-minute countdown replicates real IELTS General exam conditions. A live word counter tracks progress toward the 150-word minimum required by examiners.
Receive a complete evaluation across all four official criteria — Task Achievement, Coherence, Lexical Resource and Grammar — with specific feedback on every part of your letter.
The AI checks whether your opening, body and closing match the correct level of formality. Using informal phrases in a formal letter is a common Band penalty — we catch it every time.
Grammar and spelling errors are identified and shown side-by-side with corrections — error type labelled for each: tense, article, preposition, subject-verb agreement and more.
Overused or informal words are flagged and replaced with appropriate alternatives for the letter type. High-scoring letter phrases are suggested for your next practice session.
A Band 9 quality opening paragraph is generated for your exact letter prompt — so you can immediately see the correct register, structure and vocabulary standard expected.
Every IELTS GT Task 1 prompt includes 3 bullet points that must all be addressed. Missing even one causes a Band penalty. Our evaluation specifically checks coverage of each point.
Practice IELTS General Writing Task 1 on desktop, laptop, tablet or phone. No download needed — open your browser and start immediately, completely free with no account.
Expert strategies to improve your letter writing band score across all four criteria.
Before writing a single word, identify who you are writing to. Formal letters use "Dear Sir/Madam" and "Yours faithfully". Semi-formal uses "Dear Mr Smith" and "Yours sincerely". Informal uses "Hi John" and "Best wishes". Getting register wrong is the fastest way to lose Task Achievement marks.
Every IELTS GT Task 1 question includes three bullet points that must each be addressed clearly. Missing one bullet point will cap your Task Achievement score at Band 5. Allocate roughly 2–3 sentences per bullet point to ensure full coverage within 150–180 words.
In formal letters: "Dear Sir/Madam" must end with "Yours faithfully". "Dear Mr Jones" must end with "Yours sincerely". Mixing these is a register error. In informal letters, use natural sign-offs like "Looking forward to hearing from you" before "Best wishes".
Your opening paragraph should clearly state why you are writing — "I am writing to complain about..." or "I am writing to request..." Examiners should know your purpose by the end of the first sentence. Do not build up to it — state it directly.
Formal letters benefit from phrases like I would be grateful if you could, I am writing with regard to, and I look forward to your prompt response. Informal letters can use contractions (I've, it's, I'd) and natural expressions. Lexical Resource rewards correct register vocabulary — not just "big words".
Always write at least 150 words — writing below this incurs a Task Achievement penalty. However, writing more than 200 words increases the risk of errors in grammar and coherence without adding to your band score. Aim for 165–185 words as your target range.
Everything students ask about IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
The IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 requires candidates to write a letter of at least 150 words in approximately 20 minutes in response to a described everyday situation. The letter may be formal (to an unknown authority or company), semi-formal (to a known professional contact such as a landlord or employer), or informal (to a close friend or family member). Each prompt includes three bullet points that must all be clearly addressed. Task 1 contributes approximately one-third of the final IELTS Writing band score, with Task 2 counting for the remaining two-thirds.
At computerielts.com, every IELTS General Writing Task 1 practice test is delivered in a timed 20-minute environment with a live word counter. All three letter types are covered across 50 practice tests: Formal Letters (complaints, requests, job applications, news corrections, official enquiries), Semi-Formal Letters (accommodation issues, workplace requests, neighbour problems, landlord communications), and Informal Letters (invitations, apologies, advice, recommendations, thank-you letters). After submission, our AI evaluation tool generates a band score for each criterion, checks register and tone, identifies grammar and spelling errors, flags weak vocabulary, provides a Band 9 model opening, and creates a personalised three-step study plan.
Who needs IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 practice? Any candidate sitting the IELTS General Training test — skilled migrants applying under points-based immigration systems in Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand; nurses and allied health professionals seeking overseas registration; and students applying to foundation or vocational courses. Start with Letter Test 1 or browse all 50 letter prompts using the filter tabs above.