How to Write the VSTEP Task 1 Letter: Formal and Informal
On VSTEP Task 1, the mistake that costs candidates most is not grammar but register: writing a formal letter in a casual voice, or the reverse. This is something to settle before you write a single line.
Decide the register before you write
Read the situation carefully to see who you are writing to. A letter to an institution, a school, a management board, or someone you do not know calls for a formal register. A letter to a friend or a relative is informal.
A grammatically flawless letter in the wrong register still loses marks, because the marking considers whether your writing fits the situation the prompt sets up.
What separates the two registers
Address: a formal letter uses a conventional, neutral form of address; an informal one uses the person's name directly.
Contractions: formal letters keep them to a minimum; informal letters use them freely because they sound natural.
Tone: a formal letter maintains polite distance and gets to the point; an informal one can ask after the reader and share personal news.
The opening and closing lines give your register away fastest — choose carefully from the very first sentence.
Structure and common mistakes
1. A greeting matching the register you decided on.
2. An opening line stating why you are writing.
3. The body: cover every point the prompt asks for.
4. A closing line and sign-off, holding the same register you started with.
The most common mistake is opening formally and then drifting casual halfway through. The register has to stay consistent from the first line to the last.
FAQ
How do I know whether the letter should be formal or informal?
Look at the recipient the prompt describes. An institution, a school, a superior, or a stranger means formal. A friend or a relative means informal. The prompt always gives you enough to decide.
Do I lose marks for correct grammar in the wrong register?
Yes. Fitting the situation is part of responding to the task, so a polished letter in the wrong voice scores below a simpler letter that gets the register right.
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