IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: The Suggestion/Opinion Letter

​In the IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, test takers are often asked to write letters for a variety of purposes--making requests, giving information, or responding to a situation. One common but sometimes overlooked prompt type is the suggestion or opinion letter. In this task, you are asked to provide your viewpoint on an issue, often in response to a company, community organization, or public authority seeking feedback. The topic could range from choosing between two community projects to recommending improvements for a service. Success in this task depends on clearly stating your position, explaining your reasoning with convincing details, and using the appropriate tone

Here's a question prompt for this type of letter: 

A large company in your area has decided to spend a certain amount of money, either to sponsor a local children's sports team for two years, or to pay for two open-air concerts. It has asked for feedback from the general public.

Write a letter to the company. In your letter
• describe the benefits of sponsoring the sports team
• summarise the benefits of paying for the concerts
• say how you think the company should spend the money

Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
​Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,

Here's a sample response:

​Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your request for public feedback on whether the company should sponsor a local children’s sports team for two years or pay for two open-air concerts.

Sponsoring the children’s sports team would provide long-term benefits for both the young athletes and the community. It would encourage children to stay active, develop teamwork skills, and gain self-confidence. Over two years, the consistent support would also help the team improve its facilities and participate in more competitions, which will foster community pride.

On the other hand, funding open-air concerts would offer immediate cultural and social value. These events would bring people of all ages together, promote local talent, and boost the local economy by attracting visitors and supporting nearby businesses.

Although both options have merit, I believe that sponsoring the sports team would deliver more lasting benefits. Investing in the younger generation’s health, discipline, and teamwork skills will surely have a positive ripple effect on the community for years to come.

I hope my feedback will be helpful in your final decision.

Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]

​(177 words)

Here’s a breakdown of the letter showing what each element does:

1. Paragraph 1: Opening Sentence / Purpose Statement​
"I am writing in response to your request for public feedback on whether the company should sponsor a local children’s sports team for two years or pay for two open-air concerts."
​

• Clearly states the reason for writing.
• Paraphrases the task prompt rather than copying it word-for-word.
• Sets up the context for the reader immediately.

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2. Paragraph 2: Option 1 Benefits
"Sponsoring the children’s sports team would provide long-term benefits for both the young athletes and the community. It would encourage children to stay active, develop teamwork skills, and gain self-confidence. Over two years, the consistent support would also help the team improve its facilities and participate in more competitions, which will foster community pride."
​

• Focuses on one option in detail.
• Gives specific benefits with examples (stay active, develop teamwork skills).
• Uses positive, persuasive language.
• Ends with a summarizing benefit (to foster community pride).

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3. Paragraph 3: Option 2 Benefits
"On the other hand, funding open-air concerts would offer immediate cultural and social value. These events would bring people of all ages together, promote local talent, and boost the local economy by attracting visitors and supporting nearby businesses
​

• Acknowledges the second option fairly.
• Gives clear, relevant benefits (bring people of all ages together, promote local talent, etc).
• Uses transitional phrase "On the other hand" to contrast with the first option.

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4. Paragraph 4: Recommendation
"Although both options have merit, I believe that sponsoring the sports team would deliver more lasting benefits. Investing in the younger generation’s health, discipline, and teamwork skills will surely have a positive ripple effect on the community for years to come."
​

• Directly states your choice (I believe sponsoring the sports team…).
• Explains why in one concise, persuasive sentence.
• Uses a balancing phrase (While both options have merit) to sound fair-minded.
• Ends on a forward-looking benefit.

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5. Closing Sentence
"I hope my feedback will be helpful in your final decision."

• Leaves a polite, cooperative final impression.
• Closes out the letter nicely.

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6. ​Sign-off
"Yours faithfully,
[Full Name]"

• Correct when you do not know the person’s name.
• Standard for both formal and semi-formal letters to unknown recipients.

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Here’s a guide on recognizing and answering suggestion/opinion letters in IELTS General Training Task 1.

1. How to recognize a Suggestion/Opinion Letter prompt
You’re dealing with this letter type if the prompt:

• Asks for your feedback, recommendation, or preference.
• Gives you two or more options and asks which you think is better.
• Uses phrases like: “give your opinion,” “say what you think,” “recommend,” or “suggest.”
• Is addressed to a company, community group, council, or other organization.

Example keywords in prompts:

• “... has asked for your feedback…”
• “... say how you think the organisation should spend the money…”
• “... suggest improvements to the service…”

2. Typical tone and ttyle

• Formal – If the recipient is an official body, government office, or corporate board.
• Semi-formal – May be used when writing to an organization you don’t personally know, depending on the topic

3. Suggested structure
Paragraph 1 – Opening & Purpose

• State why you’re writing and refer to the context.
  Example: “I am writing to share my views on your proposal to…”

Paragraph 2 – Benefits or reasoning for Option 1

• Describe advantages, give 1–2 specific examples.

Paragraph 3 – Benefits or reasoning for Option 2

• Summarize the positives, give 1-2 relevant examples.

Paragraph 4 – Your Recommendation

• State clearly which option you prefer and why.
• End with a polite closing line.

4. Useful language for Suggestion/Opinion Letters

Stating your opinion:

• “In my view…”
• “I believe the company should…”
• “It would be more beneficial to…”

Presenting reasons:

• “This would allow…”
• “Such an approach would lead to…”
• “One significant advantage is…”

Balancing both options:

• “While both options have merit…”
• “Although this would provide immediate benefits…”

Making a recommendation:

• “Therefore, I would strongly recommend…”
• “For these reasons, I feel it is the better choice…”

5. Common Errors to Avoid

• Being unclear – Don’t hide your choice or recommendation; the examiner needs to see a clear position.
• Lack of balance – Acknowledge the other option even if you don’t support it.
• Tone mismatch – Avoid slang or overly casual expressions.

In summary, mastering suggestion letters in IELTS GT Task 1 is about giving a clear opinion, explaining it with balanced reasons, and using the right tone for your audience. ​By structuring your letter with a clear opening, balanced discussion of options, and a decisive recommendation, you can show both your language skills and your ability to organize ideas logically.

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Notes On Lexical Resource

This sample response is a good opportunity to discuss Lexical Resource.  In IELTS Writing (and Speaking) lexical resource is not about stuffing your answers with the most advanced or difficult words you can think of.

​It’s about:

• Choosing the right words for the topic – Your vocabulary should fit the topic, tone, and purpose of the task. A simple word that’s perfectly chosen is better than an advanced word used awkwardly.
• Using natural collocations – Collocations are word combinations native speakers use together, like boost the economy, provide support, or long-term benefits. These sound more accurate and fluent than unnatural combinations like "improve the economy strongly", or worse, "ameliorate the economy". Do not cram in a rare word just to sound sophisticated.
• Including topic-specific vocabulary – Use words and expressions connected to the subject of the task. For example, in a letter about community events, vocabulary like public feedback, cultural value, or local talent shows you can talk about the topic precisely.
• Demonstrating variety – Avoid repeating the same word too often. Use synonyms or related phrases when possible, but only if they sound natural.

Here are words and collocations from the sample letter that contribute to a good score in lexical resource:

​1. public feedback - Opinions or suggestions given by the general public about a proposal or idea.

• Combines two common words into a precise collocation.
• More formal and specific than simply saying people’s opinions.

2. long-term benefits / lasting benefits - Advantages or positive effects that continue over a long period.

• These collocations with “benefits” demonstrate flexibility in expression. “Lasting” is a synonym for “long-term,” adding variety and avoiding repetition.
• Shows the ability to talk about time-related consequences, which is common in IELTS prompts.

3. consistent support - Ongoing and regular help, funding, or encouragement.

• “Consistent” is a higher-level adjective than simply “regular.”
• Shows precision: not just any support, but support that is steady and reliable.

4. foster - To encourage the growth or development of something.

• More sophisticated than “help” or “encourage.”
• Using verbs like “foster” demonstrates range beyond everyday vocabulary.

5. cultural and social value - Importance or worth in terms of traditions, arts, and community relationships.

• More formal and precise than “good for culture and society.”
• Pairs “cultural” and “social” to show a broad perspective

6. promote local talent - To encourage or support people from the local area to showcase their skills.

• “Promote” is a strong action verb for formal writing.
• The term “local talent” is broader and more sophisticated than simply saying “local singers,” as it can include musicians, dancers, actors, etc. 

7. boost the local economy - To improve business activity and financial health in a specific area.

• “Boost” is a vivid, precise verb in formal/semi-formal contexts.
• More dynamic than “help the economy.”

8. to have merit - To have value or worth; to be worthy of consideration.

• Idiomatic expression that is both formal and concise.
• More sophisticated than “it’s good” or “it’s valuable.”

9. investing in - Putting time, money, or effort into something to gain future benefits.

• Can be used both literally (money) and figuratively (effort, resources).
• Sounds more purposeful than “spending on.”

10. a positive ripple effect - A series of good results that spread from an initial action, like ripples in water.

• This idiom fits naturally and adds imagery
• More engaging than “more good results will happen later.”

​
These words are not overly fancy or advanced, but they allow you to discuss the topic and make recommendations with precision.​

​In short:
Lexical Resource is about using the most suitable language, not the most complicated language. A well-placed collocation like foster community pride will score higher than a forced “fancy” word that feels unnatural.