This is the IELTS Energy Podcast, Episode 1550 Terrific Tone for IELTS Essays.
Part 1 Informal Letters.
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The tone of your general task one letter has a huge effect on your task achievement score.
Today, you'll learn how to strike an informal tone in letters to friends.
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Hello, Michelle.
Welcome back.
Hi, Aubrey.
I am so happy to be here again.
Yes, it's so fun to have you here.
Lindsay will be back next time, but we're excited to have Michelle join us today.
And I have a question for you, Michelle.
Yes.
When is the last time you wrote and mailed a letter?
Wow.
Not just yesterday.
No, I can.
I feel like, well, what I remember the most is when I was in sleepaway camp.
I'm sure I've done it since.
Like I've I've done.
OK, do thank you notes count?
No, no.
Like a letter had to be at least a page of text.
How old were you for sleepaway camp?
I mean like 12.
Oh my goodness.
That's so funny.
That's probably about the same for me.
I can't think of the last time I wrote and mailed a letter.
Long time ago.
But mine, I was very homesick in sleepaway camp.
So I found them.
They're like, help.
I want to go home.
I don't want to be here.
Yes.
Oh, yeah.
That's funny.
Yes, exactly.
So I'm sure my parents were absolutely thrilled to read those.
Right.
Well guys, as you can tell, we're talking about general task one letters today, which are tricky because we don't write letters much anymore.
We write emails, but that's a very different situation.
So for the task achievement score, tone is extremely important.
And this is what we're talking about today.
The vocabulary and grammar structures you use are different depending on who you are writing to and what the tone should be.
So the three options really are informal, semi-formal and formal.
So we're doing a three part series where we'll cover each of these.
Today we're sharing high scoring vocabulary and examples of an example of a band nine essay.
That would be informal.
So, Michelle, when should we write an informal essay?
Hmm.
When should we write an informal essay?
Well, we write informally when talking to someone we know well.
So a friend, a family member, or a coworker or neighbor that we know very well.
Yes.
And that's where it gets tricky, that coworker or neighbor.
That might be more semi-formal if it's someone you don't know really well.
This would be like neighbors or coworkers that are almost on like just walk into your house without knocking basis.
We have those sometimes.
So it's a little tricky depending on what you're told to write in the letter.
You're going to need to figure out really quickly.
How well do I know this person?
Right.
And it's only informal if it's really close friends, family members, those coworkers and neighbors that you really know very well.
Yeah.
Yep, exactly.
So yeah, you should write about the types of things that you would talk about with a close friend.
You know idioms and slang, casual vocabulary.
So just really considering that.
And I mean think about how you would talk to that person.
That would also match how you would write to them.
Really,
Exactly right.
We set this informal tone both with vocabulary and ideas and grammar even.
Sometimes grammar is very formal, more formal than when we used when writing a letter to a friend.
That's true.
Yeah.
So you have to think about all of that and you have to practice this, because that tone is vital for your task.
Achievement score.
It can't be overly formal if you're writing to a friend.
So where, Michelle, can students get the vocabulary and ideas for these informal essays?
Yeah.
Well, I would say you could listen to podcasts.
I mean, true crime podcasts, pop culture, travel podcasts.
Yeah, because it won't be just any podcast, right?
A lot of the news podcasts are still very formal language.
Yeah.
Right.
And then also watching TV shows and movies like sitcoms comedies um, you know, to get that informal vocabulary right, how are people actually talking to each other?
And so if you are watching criminal minds or like and what like one of these crime, law and order, that's a little usually more formal language and there may be conversations they have where people are speaking conversationally to each other.
There's some informal vocabulary there.
But, like I know you loved Friends Michelle, some of these sitcoms, these comedies, they're full of slang and idioms that are perfect for task one essays.
Yeah.
Informal essays.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Really good.
Really important.
So we're going to talk about your scores here a little bit, because it's not just about the task achievement score.
For your cohesion coherence score for both task one and task two, you also need linking words.
And it's interesting because some linking words are very informal and some are extremely formal.
You would never want to use like consequently in a task one informal letter to a friend.
That would be very strange and would lower your scores.
So this is also especially difficult, because not only do we not write emails or not write letters a lot, we don't usually use linking phrases in emails or in conversations.
So you're probably not as familiar with using these informal linking phrases, because in conversations we just leave them out.
We're not trying to link our ideas.
Right.
Or even in emails, I feel we just kind of space, do a space.
Get the message across.
Yeah, right.
So yeah, exactly.
But with a letter, whether it's formal or informal, you really still need to link ideas.
But the linking phrases you use will be more informal for letters to friends.
So try introducing and linking ideas using informal fillers, like we do in speaking.
That's kind of the trick.
Exactly.
So, for example, this may surprise you, but like something like that you would say to a friend, right?
Or believe it or not, comma, and then you share the idea.
Or maybe not only that, but right, these are all informal enough where you're still linking ideas, but not in an overly formal way.
Right.
But Aubrey, what about the grammar score?
Yeah.
So for IELTS, it doesn't matter what kind of essay you're writing.
You must use a variety of sentence structures.
So simple, compound and complex sentences satisfy this requirement, that variety of grammar structures that the examiner is looking for.
But also it is interesting.
There are a lot of grammar chunks that feel quite formal.
The one I can think of is like, not only this, but also that some of those formal chunks that we just don't really use when we're talking to friends or writing to friends.
So you want to keep it a little more simple, right?
Just simple, compound, complex sentences without this sort of fancier grammar that you might use in a formal letter.
Yeah, yeah.
And also it's really helpful to read high level writing to learn a variety of impressive structures.
So again, you just have to really get that input, to get all that language and what you need to be able to use yourself.
Exactly.
That's the best source.
And it can be any article, but you do want to also pay attention to that, right?
You can't just use simple sentences to score seven or higher on that grammar score.
You do need a variety of different sentence structures.
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All right, Michelle, let's do a sample task one question here.
We're going to read the question and provide you a full band nine essay, and then we're going to highlight what makes it informal.
So first, the task one question.
Can you read it for us, Michelle?
Sure, here it is.
You are going to visit your friend in another city next month.
Write a letter to your friend.
In your letter, tell your friend when you will arrive, explain what you would like to do together and ask if there is anything you should bring.
Write at least 150 words.
Awesome.
Thank you.
And as you can see right away, you see the word friend, you know it's an informal letter.
Right.
So you're going to use very informal vocab.
So let's read through.
We'll do one paragraph at a time and highlight the vocabulary in it.
Okay.
So we'll start with, Margie, comma, that's how we start it.
How's it going?
I'm super excited about visiting you next month.
So I wanted to share my plans.
My flight gets in on the 14th at 3.30 PM.
And I'm guessing I'll be at your place by five.
So you've heard before, you need two details per bullet point for that task achievement score.
So we see we have two separate details here.
Telling them when you will arrive, when your flight gets in and when you'll get to their house.
So you have fully answered that first bullet.
And let's talk about the vocab.
What do you see here, Michelle?
That's quite informal.
Super.
Right.
Well, also, I want to note like that you just said Margie in the beginning.
Oh, yeah.
Not dear Margie or to whom it may concern.
Never.
Right.
Right.
Right.
I mean, you could have also said like, hi, Margie, or hey, Margie, right?
But yeah, so that that is one clue that it's informal.
Although I guess for business you could sometimes use the person's name, but we'll get what you know.
Yeah, we're for an informal IELTS letter.
You'll actually be told how to start the letter, but this is always perfect for an informal letter, just to have their name and a comma.
Don't worry about it.
Yeah, this is one thing that you won't need to take time figuring out how to start it.
Just put their name.
Easy.
Oh, yes, exactly.
But you said, I'm super excited.
So super is quite informal, right?
Yes, you would never put this in a formal letter if you're complaining to an airline, right?
This is language we use for friends.
I'm super upset to visit you.
No, right.
Yeah, yep, exactly.
And then you said, my flight gets in.
Yeah.
And it's interesting.
So you didn't say arrives.
Right.
Anytime you use a phrasal verb, it's a little less formal.
Instead of my flight arrives on the 14th.
That sounds very formal to say to a friend.
Instead, my flight gets in on the 14th.
And then, and I'm guessing I'll be at your place by five.
Yeah, this is a quite informal structure, right?
You could say, I will arrive at your home by five o'clock, right?
But this, I'm guessing I'll be there, is an informal way to speak to a friend.
All right, you want to read the second paragraph for us, Michelle?
Here we go.
If you're up for it, there are a couple of things I'd love to do while I'm there.
First, you've got to take me to that new rooftop cafe you mentioned because it sounded amazing.
I've also been dying to check out some live music.
So let me know if there are any concerts you'd want to hit up.
Other than that, I'm down to go with the flow.
Nice.
So a lot of great informal vocab, keeping that informal tone.
First, if you're up for it.
You would not want to say like, if you're interested to a friend, that sounds so formal, right?
Instead, if you're up for it, there are a couple of things I'd like to do.
And then this is interesting. we wrote, first, you've got to take me to that new rooftop.
Now, when we're speaking, we might say gotta.
You've gotta take me, G-O-T-T-A.
And we've gotten this question a lot.
Do not write gotta in your letter, even though you're trying to strike a formal tone.
Spelling still has to be correct.
Grammar still has to be correct.
And that's not a real word, gotta, G-O-T-T-A.
So don't write it.
Yes, exactly.
And then You said, I've also been dying to check out some live music.
So that is quite informal.
If it was elevated and very formal, you could say, I'm really interested.
I would like to.
Yes, exactly.
Dying to.
It would fulfill my heart's desire to.
These are all so formal.
Yes.
Yeah, this is perfect.
Dying to.
Dying to check out.
And not even, you know, I'm dying to go listen to.
I'm going to see.
Check out, again, is a phrasal verb that makes it more informal.
I'm dying to check out some live music.
So let me know if there are any concerts you'd want to hit up.
So instead of saying to attend.
Right.
This is way more casual.
To hit up, meaning to attend. but this is like a slang phrasal verb.
This is band nine vocabulary.
Students don't use it a lot.
The examiner is going to be noting all of this for your vocabulary score.
And then last, other than that, I'm down to go with the flow.
So down, down to, meaning I'm up for, down to, they both mean willing.
I'm willing to go with the flow.
And that also is an idiom that means I'm willing to do whatever is convenient.
But that would be so formal to say I'm willing to do whatever is convenient.
I'm down to go with the flow is how you'd say that to a friend.
Down to go with the flow.
I love it.
And the last paragraph, do you want to read it for us?
Sure.
All right.
By the way, let me know if there's anything I should bring.
I've already thrown in that book you wanted to borrow, but let me know if you can think of anything.
Let me know if you think of anything else.
Just say the word.
Can't wait to see you.
Yes.
Now, this is tricky.
This third bullet point.
Ask if there is anything you should bring, because it would be sort of strange to be like should I bring this and should I bring that?
Like, how do I get two details?
Sometimes there will be bullet points that are sort of strange this way.
Right.
But you could say this, like, just let me know if there's anything I should bring.
That's a very informal way to say that.
And then what you are bringing.
And this is a very informal way to say that I've already thrown in that book you wanted, meaning I've packed that book you wanted.
I threw it into my suitcase.
Mm hmm.
But if you think of anything else, just say the word.
So that's just another way of saying just let me know or yeah, tell me.
Yeah, exactly.
Super informal.
Just say the word.
And then you can end with can't wait to see you!
And your name, right?
This is also interesting for letters to friends.
You actually would not want to end it with sincerely or best regards, because you're writing to a friend.
It should be more casual than that.
More casual.
Absolutely.
This is really interesting.
How yeah, just the tone, then the vocabulary, the grammar, everything you use is completely different depending on who you are writing to.
Exactly.
And it's not enough just to throw in a few informal phrases and count it good.
We'll often see essays where students have a few informal phrases but with a lot of formal vocabulary and grammar, and you have to keep that consistent tone throughout.
So this is really important that you practice doing this and be sure to hit follow so that you get part two and three with this.
How to do this for semi-formal letters.
If it is to like a coworker, a neighbor that you know but not as well, or a formal letter, maybe a complaint, like we were saying, that's going to be much more formal and we'll show you both.
So be sure to hit follow.
All right, Aubrey.
Well, thanks for having me hang out today on IELTS Energy.
And I've been happy to record with you.
And guys, Lindsay will be back soon.
Yes.
Awesome.
Thanks for joining me, Michelle.
See you next time.
All right.
Bye.
Bye.
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