正式信件（Formal Letter）是 IELTS General Training Task 1 最常考的子題——大約佔 40%。題目會要求你寫給不認識的人：公司經理、政府單位、飯店客服、學校行政。

如果語氣判斷錯——比方說對 manager 寫 Hi there, I was pissed off——整篇自動被打到 5.5 以下，無論字數夠不夠、bullet 有沒有全中。

先看 Task 1 General 三種信件 了解三種語氣的判斷表，再回來看這篇深度解析。

什麼時候會抽到正式信件？

題目裡出現這些關鍵字——幾乎都是 formal：

  • the manager of a shop / hotel / restaurant
  • customer services department
  • the editor of a newspaper
  • your local council / local authority
  • the head of a company
  • an organisation you have never contacted before

三種最常見的 sub-tone：

  1. 投訴 Complaint — 產品壞掉、服務差、噪音擾鄰
  2. 請求 Request — 要求資訊、索取型錄、申請退款
  3. 申請 Application — 應徵工作、申請獎學金、加入會員

開頭結尾的鐵律

| 開頭 | 結尾 | 用在哪裡 | |--------------------|--------------------|--------------------| | Dear Sir or Madam, | Yours faithfully, | 完全不知道對方名字 | | Dear Mr Chen, | Yours sincerely, | 知道對方姓氏但不熟 |

錯一個就是自動扣分。台灣考生最常犯的錯：

  • 寫 Dear Sir or Madam 卻收 Yours sincerely — 扣分
  • 寫 Dear Mr Chen 卻收 Yours faithfully — 扣分
  • 寫 Dear sir 小寫 — 扣分
  • 寫 Dear Sir/Madam, 沒空格 — OK，但建議寫全

三種 sub-tone 的開場句

不同目的要有不同第一句——這是 Band 7+ 跟 Band 6 的分水嶺。

投訴信的第一句

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a dishwasher that I purchased from your Taichung branch on the 12th of March.

請求信的第一句

I am writing to enquire about the summer language programme advertised on your institution's website last week.

申請信的第一句

I am writing to apply for the position of Assistant Marketing Manager, which was advertised in yesterday's edition of the Taipei Times.

通用骨架：I am writing to [express / enquire / apply / request] + 具體 context + 具體日期或來源。

8 個 Band 7+ 必備句型

把這些背熟——一用上 examiner 馬上知道你到 Band 7：

| 中文意思 | Band 7+ 英文 | |----------------------|----------------------------------------------------| | 我寫信來詢問 | I am writing to enquire about... | | 我會很感激如果您能 | I would be most grateful if you could... | | 附件是... | Please find attached... | | 期待您的回覆 | I look forward to your prompt response. | | 很遺憾地通知 | I regret to inform you that... | | 鑑於上述情況 | In light of the above, | | 懇請您的理解 | I trust you will understand my position. | | 恕我直言 | I must express my concern that... |

不需要全部一封信塞進去——每封用 3-4 個即可。

160 字完整範文 — 投訴信（逐段解析）

題目：You recently bought a new laptop online but it arrived faulty. Write a letter to the customer services manager.

  • give details of the purchase
  • describe the problem
  • say what you want them to do

Dear Sir or Madam,

[§1 目的 — 直接說明來意 + 建立正式語氣] I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a laptop computer that I ordered from your online store on the 8th of April, reference number TX-29481.

[§2 事實陳述 — 回答 bullet 1 + 2] The laptop, an Acer Aspire 15, was delivered promptly the following week. However, upon first use, I discovered that the screen flickers markedly whenever the device is moved, and the battery drains completely within approximately thirty minutes, despite the specifications advertising a ten-hour life.

[§3 要求 — 回答 bullet 3，用禮貌強勢語氣] Given that the product is clearly defective and was sold as new, I would be most grateful if you could arrange a full refund, along with a prepaid return label for the faulty unit. Alternatively, I would accept a replacement of the same model, provided it can be dispatched within the week.

[§4 收尾] I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours faithfully, Chen Pei-ling

字數：160 字。三個 bullet 全部涵蓋，語氣從頭到尾一致，用了 I am writing to, I would be most grateful if, I look forward to — 三個 Band 7+ 必備句型。

台灣考生最常犯的三個錯誤

錯誤 1：過度使用 very 跟 really

這是最大的失分點。正式信件裡這兩個字都太口語：

| ❌ 口語 | ✅ 正式 | |-----------------------|----------------------------------| | very disappointed | considerably disappointed | | really bad quality | substantially below standard | | very long time | a protracted period | | really helpful | markedly helpful | | very expensive | prohibitively expensive |

把 very 跟 really 從正式信件裡刪光——用 considerably / substantially / markedly / highly / notably。

錯誤 2：用縮寫

I'm writing, don't work, it's broken, can't accept — 在正式信件裡全部不行。寫成：

  • I am writing
  • does not work
  • it is broken
  • cannot accept

錯誤 3：結尾突然變親切

寫完 300 字正式內容，最後冒一句 Thanks a lot! Looking forward to hearing from you soon :) — 整個語氣崩壞。

正式收尾只有兩種合法版本：

  • I look forward to your prompt response.
  • Thank you for your attention to this matter.

下一步練習

用本篇的 160 字範文結構，寫一封正式投訴信給附近餐廳的老闆，投訴上週食物不新鮮害你食物中毒。三個 bullet：

  • 何時去的、點了什麼
  • 後續症狀與就醫
  • 你希望餐廳如何處理

寫完對照表格檢查：

  • [ ] 有 Dear Sir or Madam + Yours faithfully
  • [ ] 用了 3 個以上 Band 7+ 句型
  • [ ] 沒有 very / really / I'm / don't
  • [ ] 三個 bullet 都回答
  • [ ] 160-170 字

延伸閱讀：