Letter Workshop · Session 1 of 5

Baseline & the Register Synonym Map

Duration: 90 minutes Focus: a timed baseline · 12 overused words · paraphrasing the prompt

Why we start with a cold write

Before any teaching happens, write one letter under real conditions. Keep it — Session 5 asks you to compare your final workshop letter against this one, side by side, so progress is visible rather than assumed.

0:00 – 0:25

Baseline letter — no teaching first

Write this now, before reading anything else on the page. Twenty minutes, exam conditions, no dictionary.

Task 1 — baseline

You recently joined a gym, but you are unhappy with the facilities. Write a letter to the gym manager.

In your letter:

explain why you joined the gym
describe what has disappointed you
say what you would like the manager to do

You do NOT need to write any addresses. Write at least 150 words.

Your baseline letter

Target: 150+ words · 20 min

Words: 0 Not saved yet

20:00

Baseline — 20 min

Do not delete this

Screenshot the AI bands, or leave the draft saved (it autosaves under this page). You will want the exact bands again in Session 5.

0:25 – 0:35

Why Lexical Resource is the fastest band to move

Grammar habits take months to change. Register instinct takes weeks. But swapping five overused words for accurate synonyms is something you can do this afternoon — and Lexical Resource explicitly rewards range: using a variety of vocabulary accurately, not repeating the same three or four words because they are safe.

Range means accurate range, not decoration

A rare word used wrongly costs more than a plain word used correctly. Every synonym on this page comes with the register it belongs to and, where it matters, a note on how it's used. Learn the phrase, not just the word.

0:35 – 1:05

The synonym map — twelve words every letter overuses

These are the words that show up in almost every GT Task 1 draft, in every register, usually three or four times each. Each row gives you a formal, a semi-formal and an informal alternative, so you have a genuine choice rather than one "correct" upgrade.

Overused word	Formal	Semi-formal	Informal
problem	issue, difficulty, a matter of concern	issue, hiccup (minor), difficulty	hassle, pain, nightmare (big one)
good	satisfactory, of a high standard, commendable	decent, pretty good, solid	great, brilliant, ace
bad	unsatisfactory, substandard, inadequate	disappointing, not up to scratch	awful, rubbish, a letdown
big (a problem)	considerable, significant, substantial	quite a big, a real	huge, massive
want	would like, wish, request	would like, was hoping	fancy, want, would love
ask	request, enquire, seek	ask, wonder whether	ask, wonder if
tell (someone)	inform, notify, advise	let (someone) know	tell, let (someone) know
think	consider, believe, am of the view that	think, feel	reckon, feel
help (noun)	assistance, support, cooperation	help, a hand	a hand, a favour
unhappy / angry	dissatisfied, dismayed, disappointed	unhappy, not thrilled	gutted, fed up, annoyed
important	essential, of considerable importance, crucial	important, a big deal	a big deal, really matters
change (verb)	amend, adjust, revise	change, sort out	change, sort, switch up

One rule for using this table

Never use two synonyms from the same row in the same letter unless one covers a genuinely different sense. Repetition of a synonym is still repetition — the examiner is listening for range across the whole letter, not one clever swap.

Upgrade drill

Rewrite each sentence, replacing the underlined word with a synonym from the table that matches the register given.

(Formal) I want to tell you about a problem with my order.
(Semi-formal) I think this is a big issue for the whole team.
(Informal) The trip was so good, honestly.
(Formal) I am unhappy with the service I received.

I am writing to inform you of an issue with my order.
I feel this is a real difficulty for the whole team.
The trip was so brilliant, honestly.
I am dissatisfied with the service I received.

1:05 – 1:30

Paraphrasing the prompt

Every prompt gives you a situation in its own words. Copying that wording into your opening sentence wastes the chance to show Lexical Resource in the single sentence the examiner reads first. Three reliable techniques:

Technique	Prompt says	Paraphrased opening
Synonym swap	"you are unhappy with the facilities"	I am writing to express my disappointment with the facilities at your gym.
Word-class change (noun → verb, adjective → noun…)	"a delivery arrived damaged"	I am writing regarding the damage to a delivery I received on…
Active ↔ passive	"the company has not replied to your emails"	Despite sending several emails, I have received no reply from your company.

You don't need all three at once

One clean paraphrase in the opening sentence is enough to signal range. Trying to stack synonym swap, word-class change and passive voice into a single sentence usually produces something unnatural — pick whichever reads most like something a real person would write.

Paraphrase practice

Write an opening sentence for each situation that restates it without copying more than two consecutive words from the prompt.

"Your internet connection has been unreliable for weeks."
"A friend looked after your home while you were away."
"You need three weeks off work for a family occasion."

Wrap-up

You now have a baseline score and twelve words permanently upgraded. Session 2 moves into formal complaint and request letters — and introduces the full revise-and-resubmit routine for using AI feedback to actually raise a band, not just read one.