How Examiners Score IELTS General Training Letters
General Training Task 1 · Tone · May 2026
Updated
Examiners score General Training letters on the same four Writing criteria, but Task Achievement means covering every bullet, hitting the purpose (complain, request, explain), and holding a consistent tone (formal/semi-formal/informal). A pretty essay that ignores a bullet is weak TA. This is not pronunciation scoring and not Academic charts.
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What TA means on a letter
The prompt lists bullets. Each must be addressed with enough detail. Tone follows the addressee: a manager is not a friend. Sign-off should match the opening.
GT letter leaks vs Academic Task 1
| Demand | GT letter | Academic Task 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement | Bullets + purpose + tone | Overview + accurate data |
| Opening/closing | Greeting and sign-off counted in tone | No greeting |
| Opinion | Only if the bullet asks | No opinion on why the chart exists |
A letter checklist before you write
1. Circle every bullet
Three ticks required in the plan.
2. Decide tone from the addressee
Name, role, and how well you know them.
3. One short paragraph per bullet
Do not merge two bullets into one vague block.
4. Match greeting and sign-off
Dear Sir/Madam → Yours faithfully; named person → Yours sincerely; friend → matching informal close.
Key takeaways: How Examiners Score IELTS General Training Letters
- GT letters are TA on bullets and tone.
- Not a chart overview. Not Speaking.
- Missed bullets cap TA regardless of grammar.
- Greeting and sign-off are part of the task, not decoration.
How Examiners Score IELTS General Training Letters: common questions
Official IELTS references
The criteria and score bands on this page follow the public IELTS documents below. Band9AI is independent and not affiliated with the British Council, IDP or Cambridge.
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Practice drill: How Examiners Score IELTS General Training Letters
Reading helps you understand the problem. A timed mock shows how it affects your band, one IELTS criterion at a time.
Free 2-min band diagnostic →| Tool | Timed four-skill mock | Score for each criterion | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT / Copilot / Gemini | No | Chat only | N/A |
| Free IELTS practice sites | Partial / untimed | Limited or none | N/A |
| Band9AI | Yes: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking | Yes, based on the public IELTS band descriptors | $15 Reality Check → |
What you get from a Band9AI mock
- A band for each criterion, such as Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammar in Writing
- The one mistake pattern holding your score back, not generic advice to keep practising
- Timed practice for one skill at a time, from your dashboard after checkout
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