What Band 7 means for GT letters
Band 7 requires a clear purpose, consistent tone, full coverage of all bullet points, logical paragraphing, and vocabulary that fits the situation. Grammar should be varied and mostly accurate. Tone means how formal or informal your language sounds. Register is the overall level of formality. Salutation is how you start a letter. Sign-off is how you end it.

Timing and a simple plan
Use 3-12-3: plan for 3 minutes, write for 12, check for 3. Target 170 to 200 words. Draft a four-part skeleton: 1) purpose, 2) bullet A, 3) bullet B, 4) bullet C plus request or closing.

Tone map in plain English

• Formal: strangers, officials, companies. Salutation: “Dear Sir or Madam,” or “Dear Ms Karim,”. Sign-off: “Yours faithfully,” for unknown name, “Yours sincerely,” for known name. No contractions.
• Semi-formal: landlord, course tutor, HR you know. Polite but warmer.
• Informal: friends, relatives. Contractions and friendly closings are fine.

Language that scores
Use clear functions: apologising, requesting, complaining, inviting, suggesting. Pair each with a precise request line, for example, “I would appreciate it if you could…” or “Could you please confirm by Friday 12 July”.

Example 1 — Formal complaint and request (annotated)
Prompt: You live near a sports centre that plays loud music late at night. Write to the manager. Describe the problem, explain its effect, and say what you want them to do.

Dear Sir or Madam, [Salutation: formal]

I am writing to report persistent late-night music from the main hall at the Riverside Sports Centre. [Purpose stated]
Over the past two weeks, the sound system has remained loud after 10 p.m., particularly on Thursdays and Saturdays. [Bullet 1: describe the problem with time markers]

Because my flat shares a wall with the facility, the noise prevents my family from sleeping and has already led to two late arrivals at work. [Bullet 2: specific effects with modest data]
I have tried using earplugs and closing all windows, which helped only slightly. [Development: shows reasonable steps]

I would appreciate it if you could reduce the volume after 9 p.m., and enforce a strict cut-off at 10 p.m. [Bullet 3: clear remedies]
If events must run later, please consider moving them to the south hall, which is further from the residential block. [Practical alternative]
Could you confirm your plan by email before next Friday, 18 July. [Action and deadline]

Yours faithfully,
Mahin Rahman [Sign-off: formal and correct pairing]

Why this reads like Band 7
Purpose appears early, bullets are fully covered, tone is consistent, requests are precise, and cohesion comes from time markers and logical order.

Example 2 — Informal invitation with arrangements (annotated)
Prompt: A friend will visit your city. Invite them to stay with you, suggest activities, and ask about their needs.

Hi Anika, [Salutation: informal]

It would be great if you stayed with us when you come to Dhaka next month. [Purpose and invite]
We have a spare room with a desk and fast Wi-Fi, so you can work in the mornings if you like. [Bullet 1: practical detail]

I was thinking we could visit the National Museum on Saturday and then try the new café near Shahbagh. [Bullet 2: activities]
If you prefer quieter places, we can walk around Ramna Park in the evening. [Flexibility and reader focus]

Do you have any food preferences or allergies I should know about. [Bullet 3: needs]
Also, what dates are fixed for your flights, so I can plan the airport pickup. [Additional arrangement question]

Take care,
Nadia [Sign-off: friendly and natural]

Why this reads like Band 7
Tone fits the relationship, bullets are complete, sentences flow, and there is a clear call to respond.

Mini case — Shuvo from Chattogram
Shuvo stayed around Band 6.0 because he wrote long introductions, mixed tones, and missed one bullet in many letters. He switched to the 3-12-3 routine and created a one-line purpose rule: write a purpose sentence first, then tick bullets in order. After ten practice tasks he averaged 185 words, reduced tone errors to zero by checking salutation and sign-off pairs, and improved to Band 7.0 in mocks.

Measurable drills

• Write three letters this week: formal, semi-formal, informal. Track word count, bullet coverage, and tone match. Aim for 100 percent bullet coverage and 170 to 200 words.
• Build a 20-line phrase bank with five functions: request, apologise, explain, suggest, invite. Use each at least once.
• Time your proofread and run a three-point check: tone, bullets, sign-off.

Common mistakes

• Tone mismatch: “Hi” with “Yours faithfully” looks inconsistent. Fix with the tone map.
• Missing a bullet: costs Task Achievement. Fix by numbering bullets during planning.
• Over-explaining causes: keep it concise and action-focused.
• Template overuse: “I am writing this letter to” is acceptable, but vary with “I am writing to request” or “I would like to let you know”.

Edge cases

• No name given: use “Dear Sir or Madam,” then “Yours faithfully,”.
• Given name only: if it is a colleague or landlord you know, choose semi-formal tone, for example, “Dear Mr Rahman,” with “Kind regards,”.
• Two audiences: if asked to inform a neighbour and request from management, write to the primary audience named in the task and reference the other.
• Complaint plus apology: keep formal tone, accept small responsibility if relevant, then make a clear request.

Glossary
Register — overall formality level.
Salutation — opening line that addresses the reader.
Sign-off — closing phrase and your name.
Bullet coverage — how completely you address each task point.
CTA line — your request for action and time frame.
Cohesive device — linking word that helps flow, such as “however” or “as a result”.

Next steps
Collect three real prompts and draft a 4-line plan for each. Write to 180 words, then highlight purpose, bullets, and CTA lines. Replace any vague request with a dated, doable action.

1. Actionable closing — Cheatsheet

Openers by tone

• Formal: “I am writing to request…”, “I wish to draw your attention to…”.
• Semi-formal: “I am getting in touch about…”, “I would be grateful if…”.
• Informal: “Just a quick note about…”, “Thought I would ask if…”.

Requests that work

• “Could you please confirm the booking by Tuesday 15 August.”
• “I would appreciate it if you could arrange a repair visit this week.”
• “Would it be possible to move the meeting to the week of the 12th.”

Apology and explanation

• “I am sorry for the short notice. I had an unexpected medical appointment.”
• “Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience caused.”

Complaint but polite

• “I am concerned about… which has occurred three times this month.”
• “I would like to request the following steps to resolve the issue.”

Closings by tone

• Formal: “Yours faithfully,” or “Yours sincerely,”.
• Semi-formal: “Kind regards,” or “Best regards,”.
• Informal: “Take care,” or “Cheers,”.

Tips and tricks

• Write the purpose first, then tick each bullet as you cover it.
• Keep one clear CTA line with a date or method, for example, email or phone.
• Vary sentence types: one relative clause and one conditional if natural.
• Use two precise time markers, for example, “on 12 May” and “over the last week”.

To avoid

• Mixing “Hi” with “Yours faithfully”.
• Ignoring a bullet because it feels small.
• Overusing very and really; choose precise verbs and nouns instead.
• Writing below 150 words or over 220 words.

CTA: Pick one formal and one informal prompt today. Plan with four bullet notes, write to 180 words, and run the three-point check: tone, bullets, sign-off. Improve one measurable number tomorrow.