General Writing Task 1 comprises Letter Writing carrying a weightage of 30% of the writing score. It, however, is assessed on the basis of its format and language. The letter might fall in any one of the following classifications:
- FORMAL
- SEMI-FORMAL
- INFORMAL
There are certain attributes of each type and the candidate is expected to strictly adhere to them for getting a good score. Here we are going to get a deeper insight into each type.
What is a Formal Letter?
A formal letter is generally written to a firm or a company. The letter is written to someone you don’t know and hence it follows a formal tone. You cannot use a friendly tone in this letter.
Purpose of Formal Letter
A formal letter caters to the following purposes:
- To make a request
- To register a complaint in a company
- To write an application for a job
- To recommend or suggest something
What Should be the Opening or Salutation for a Formal Letter?
The opening should be – Dear Sir/Madam,
What Should be the Closing or Subscription for a formal Letter?
The closing should be – Yours faithfully
What is a Semi-Formal Letter?
A semi-formal letter is generally written to someone you know but not that closely. You have to use a blend of friendly and formal tones. You can begin with a friendly paragraph acknowledging friendship and then switch to the formal purpose of the letter.
Purpose of Semi-Formal Letter
- A semi-formal letter caters to the following purposes:
- To complain to a landlord
- To complain to a neighbor
- To seek permission from a professor or teacher
What Should Be the Opening or Salutation for a Formal Letter?
The opening should be – Dear Mr.X, or Dear Ms.Y,
What Should be the Closing or Subscription for a Semi-Formal Letter?
The closing should be Yours sincerely
What is an Informal Letter?
An informal letter is a friendly letter written to a friend or a relative. Thus it bears a friendly tone.
Purpose of Informal Letter
An informal letter caters to the following purposes:
- To send warm wishes
- To share an experience
- To ask for something
- To suggest something
- For a friendly advice
What Should be the Opening or Salutation for an Informal Letter?
The opening should be – Dear X, or Dear Y,
What Should be the Closing or Salutation for an Informal Letter?
The closing should be Best Wishes or Warm Regards or Yours Lovingly
Basic Format for Writing the Letter
Although each category of the letter has its own requisites which must be catered to while attempting this task, there is still a manner in which the content of the letter should be elaborated. This manner is applicable to all the three categories, but please mind that we are talking about the similarity in a manner not in the content. The content of these categories is totally different from each other.
The basic layout should be inclusive of:
- Introduction
- Problem/ Situation
- Solution/ Action
- Conclusion
Following this criterion, you will be able to cover all the points and the basic purpose of writing this letter would be fulfilled. Skipping any point might lead to a deduction of your score.
Grading Criterion for Task 1 of General Training
The letter is graded on the following four parameters:
Task Accomplishment
How well you accomplish the given task is the first thing that is checked by the examiner. He expects you to write 150 words and that is when your task will be considered ‘accomplished’.
Coherence and Cohesion
A structural organization of sentences forms the soul of any writing material. A sequential flow of words and ideas that not only fulfills the purpose but also makes sense is the second important thing. It should convey your message in an appropriate manner. Don’t just scatter anything anywhere. Follow the sequence to make some connection and relevance.
Lexical Resource
The next factor that is being assessed is the variety of verbal input. You should make use of synonyms and maintain fluency all through. Use correct spellings as it leaves an impression on the examiner.
Grammar and Accuracy
The last thing is to avoid committing grammatical errors. Grammar forms the core of any language, so you need to feed your writing with varying sentence structures.
How to improve the Score in Letter
Though we have acquainted you with the tips, there is still a lot that you can do to enhance your score:
- Practice the variety of letters
- Learn to use different expressions or ways of saying the same thing
- Enrich your vocabulary
- Try to boost up your writing
- Learn the sentence
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