IELTS Letter, topic: An explanation for the boss

You successfully passed a job interview. You are expected to start on November 15, but you will not be available on that date. Write a letter to your new boss,

Explaining your situation,

expressing your concern and

suggesting a solution.

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Leo Gomes and I have recently passed a job interview  with your company for the Software Engineer position. I was expected to start on November 15, as agreed, and am writing because, unfortunately, I will not be able to present myself on that date.

During the interview I estimated fifteen days as the amount of time needed for me to finish my activities at my current job and start at your company, but due to the fact that I got sick for the last whole week and was not able to work, I could not finish my tasks and will need another week to do so. If necessary, I can provide  you a copy of the letter from my doctor informing that I had to stay at home and under medical care during that week.

I feel responsible for the pressure my delayed start may have created on the company, and I am going to work harder until everything is back to normal. To clear the backlog created by my late start, I can work two additional hours every day until I catch up, either coming in early or leaving late. 

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and hope this will not affect our relationship. If I am expected to present any other form of proof or talk to someone else in the company, please let me know.

Faithfully yours,
Leo Gomes

IELTS Letter, topic: Personal, asking for the forgotten file

You stayed at your friend’s house when you participated in a business seminar in Australia. You left a file with important documents in the room. Write a letter to your friend, describing the file and ask him/her to return it to you by post.

My dearest Philip,

I am sorry I am writing only now. Firstly, I would like to thank you for all the attention and support you gave me while I was in Sydney. Things like that are priceless and I feel blessed to have you as my friend. I expect you and Maria to come to Mumbai soon, so that I try to somehow reciprocate equally joyful moments as those you propitiated to me. However, I am also writing because of the fact that I forgot a very important document in the room where I stayed at your house.

The document is a signed contract and was the most important reason for my trip to Australia, after the business seminar I attended. You certaintly can imagine how desperate I have been in the last days looking for this document in my luggage. I could not find it anywhere and now I am sure I left it in your house.

Please let me know if you find it, and post it with express delivery as soon as possible. I will pay for the expense; just let me know your bank, account and branch numbers.

With best wishes,
John

IELTS Letter, topic: Booking a hotel room

Task: Write a letter to the hotel making the arrangements. Let them know when you will be arriving and leaving, what type of rooms you would like, and ask them how much the weekend will cost. Also enquire about activities and places of interest near the hotel.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to make arrangements for the stay during the weekend at your hotel and to get more information on the places of interest and different activities nearby.

I will be arriving with my parents and wife to celebrate my parents wedding anniversary on the 4th of July which will be on Saturday morning, and leaving on the 7th of July afternoon. I am looking to book double-rooms with the attached bathroom for more privacy and convenience. I would love to have at least one bedroom with the balcony or seaside view for my parents. I would also appreciate if you could provide me with the list of activities that we can take part in during our stay for more fun and adventure. I prefer the locations to be nearby the hotel as we are not familiar with the place. Furthermore, I would also like to know if there are any historical sites or market nearby where we can explore more about the place’s history and local culture.

You could send me the detailed information through email or fax no later than the 4th of July with the total cost of stay during the weekend.
I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
A.G.

The student has addressed all the parts of the task statement fairly well. The information is organized nicely and conveyed coherently. The grammar and sentence formation are mostly fine, with only minor improvements needed. The range of vocabulary is adequate for the requirements of the task response. Overall, this letter is a very good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: A complaint about a purchase made online

You have recently ordered an item through the Internet, but are not happy with the purchase. Write to the company. In your letter:

– describe what you purchased,
– explain why you are not happy with the purchase,
– tell them what you would like them to do about the situation.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my disappointment with a recent purchase on your online store, order number #7298883. I ordered a set of soccer equipments that were advertised on your site as a package including 3 pairs of socks and a pair of soccer boots. However, on their arrival I found out that there were only 2 pairs of socks. In addition, there were scratches on the boots that suggest that they had been used before and returned to your store.

I have since found the same offer on another website and will be returning the packages to your office. I have read the refund policy, and as I am dissatisfied with the product, I would like to request a return of all fees paid, as well as the postal and packaging fees. Should you have any questions, you can contact me via email, my address is raymond_squared@live.com.

I look forward to a swift resolution to this matter.

Thanks for your time,
Raymond Jose

The student has sufficiently addressed all the points in the task statement. The information is organized well and conveyed coherently. The paragraphing of the letter is fine. Even though some minor grammatical errors are present in this letter, it is a very good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Expressing dissatisfaction with a course at college

You are not happy with the course you are doing at college and would like to change to a different course. Write a letter to the college director requesting to change your course. You should include details about:

– what course are you doing now
– why you are not satisfied with that course
– what course would you like to change to

Dear Mr. Hodgkin’s,

I am currently enrolled in an Italian cooking class at St. James and am writing regarding some difficulties I have had doing this subject for the past two weeks. I would like to know if it is possible to change my course.

I believe that the last day allowed for students to make any changes was Wednesday 5th June but, in my situation, the circumstance is uncompromising. The fact is that, during the enrolment session, no one mentioned that I needed to be literate in Italian, which I’m not. Therefore, you will comprehend that for me, getting an understanding of what the teacher is saying is beyond comprehensible.

Thus, I am requesting that my current enrollment be transferred from the Italian course to the French cooking class. As unlike in Italian, I am fluent in French.

I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to you and the staff and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Sandrine Mo

The student’s response covers the task question very well, the sentences have good structure, the level of formality is adequate and the vocabulary is suitable for the purpose. Some expressions would sound better in different wording (see suggestions underlined in blue). Overall, this letter is a very good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.5.

IELTS Letter, topic: Explaining to a friend how to look after your house

You are going away to travel for the summer. A friend will be looking after your house while you are away. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

– say where you are going
– describe your house
– explain some of the things your friend must do to look after your house.

Dear Sam,

Thank you in advance for looking after my house and my lovely puppies when I am on vacation. You know how excited I am to go to Bali! It is indeed a dream coming true now.

I just want to let you know that my house has just been renovated and since you haven’t been to my place for a couple of months, you have to use the stairs next to the car park instead using the main entrance door. The ground floor will not be accessible and will be locked for maintenance reasons.

I need to mention a couple of things which you need to look after during my absence. My dogs will be staying on the top floor and I will be very grateful if you can feed them thrice a week.

Last not least, could you please clean the dogs poop as well. Please feel free to contact me in case of any emergencies on my cell phone 04245681112 or via email as well xxyyzz@gmail.com. Yes I know, I have not forgotten your treat as I owe you this one mate !

Thank you once again for your help.

See you soon,
Jane

The candidate has fairly addressed all the parts of the task statement. The information is organized well and conveyed coherently. The level of formality is suitable for a personal letter. In terms of sentence formation the writer has done well. The range of vocabulary is adequate for the requirements of the task response, although there are minor problems with word choice and grammar (bring the mouse over the words in blue to see suggested corrections). Overall, this letter is a good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Complaining to neighbors about their noisy dog

Your neighbors have a dog that is noisy at night. You can’t sleep. Write a letter to your neighbors. In your letter:
– describe the problem with the dog
– explain why it is important for you to sleep
– outline what your neighbors could do about the situation.

Dear Mr. Brown and Mrs. Brown ,

I am writing to you to bring to your attention a problem that i have been having with your dog at night.

As you may already be aware of, your dog started making small detours at night around the neighborhood, digging holes in the gardens and often making loud noises. I was awoken by your dog’s barks several times lately, and I had even consult a doctor and had been prescribed some sleeping pills.

This wouldn’t have been as big of a problem for me if I wasn’t in the middle of my exams, but since I am, it is crucial for me to take good rest and sleep during the right hours; I have morning exams to wake up to.

I will therefore be grateful if you could have your dog looked after by another member of your family away from this neighborhood, even if only until my exams are over, which will be in about three weeks time.

Thank you for taking time to read this letter, I hope to hear back from you with good news.

Yours sincerely,
Jeongsup Byun

This is a good letter on all accounts, except perhaps some inaccurate word choice and verb forms (bring the mouse over the words in blue to see suggested corrections). Such letter could be awarded Band 8 in a real IELTS exam.

IELTS Letter, topic: Telling a friend about a new job

Write a letter to an English-speaking friend. In your letter

– explain why you changed jobs
– describe your new job
– tell him/her your other news

Dear John,

I am writing to let you know that I finally got a Software Engineer position in Google. I am so happy to share this news with you. As I told you earlier, my previous job was so bored to me. I kept working on fixing uncountable bugs of an existing system. Thus I started seeking new job opportunities 2 months ago.

Since I walked in Google’s office during my first interview, I immediately knew that this was my ideal work place. My major responsibility is tuning search results on several Google’s products. The most exciting thing is that my supervisor is a pioneer in this area around the world. I believe that I can get enormous cutting-edge knowledge from him.

Furthermore, I have bought a new house near my office. I sincerely invite you to come to visit next month if you are free at that point of time.

With best wishes,

Michael

This letter covers the task prompt fully. It has the right structure and its level of formality is suitable for a personal letter. The vocabulary and sentence structure is fine. The letter could have achieved a higher band score if it wasn’t for the errors (mouse over the words in blue will show suggested corrections). Seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: An explanation for a relative

A family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the morning, but you won’t be home until the evening. Write a letter to your relative. In your letter:

– explain the arrangements you have made for them to get keys and enter the house

– tell your relative how to get from the train station to your house

– say when you will be home and suggest what you could do together that evening

Dear Tanya,

How are you? I hope your journey was comfortable. I have an appointment with my dentist at 4 pm today, this is why I will not be at home when you will reach. However, I have left the keys with Mr Sharma at house #14. You can take the keys from him and enter the house. I have made some Chicken Biriyani for you and arranged the guest room upstairs so that you can take rest.

When you arrive, your train will stop at the Central railway station. You need to take the exit towards Roma Street. Once you come out of the station, you need to turn right and walk 100 metres. You will find the bus stop number 58 on the opposite side of the road. You need to catch bus number 333 and get down at Robertson Stop. My address is: #27,Fleetwood St, Macgregor.

I will be home by 5:30 pm, and so will be Sam and Harry as well. We have planned to watch “The Dark Knight” at home. I will make smoked salmon with chicken salad and we can have some wine with the dinner as well. See you soon.

Lovingly Yours
Tanay

This letter covers the requirements of the task, all the bullet points are addressed sufficiently. The information and ideas are presented logically, and the paragraphing is appropriate. The use of vocabulary can be improved. Most of the sentences are error-free with only a few inappropriate words used. Overall, seems good enough for Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Leaving your current employment

You have decided to leave your current employment. Write a letter to your employer. Include the following in your letter:

– Explain why you are writing
– Explain why you have decided to leave the company
– Tell your employer what you plan to do after leaving your present employment

Dear Human Resource Manager

I am writing to your esteemed office to formally inform you about my resignation as a Registered Nurse at William Osler Hospital. As the hospital policy states that a two weeks’ notice should be given before resignation, therefore this letter is to notify you that my last day of employment will be on 2nd June, 2021.

The decision made was due to personal reasons, as my family and I will be migrating to Singapore. Recently my husband has been offered a managerial position in a five star hotel, which we thought would be a better prospect for his career.

Once my family and I have settled down in Melbourne, I plan to look for an online IT assignment. This would allow me to have flexibility with my time and enable me to take care of my children too. Leaving the company is a great loss for me as I have learnt a lot and was given opportunities to grow.

Finally, I would like to thank you for the guidance provided during the period of my employment.

Yours sincerely,

Eve

This letter covers the requirements of the task, all the bullet points are addressed sufficiently. The information and ideas are presented logically, and the paragraphing is appropriate. Although there are some instances of poor word choice and grammar, most of the sentences are error-free. Overall, seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Get well wishes for a team-mate

You play sport (e.g. football) for a local team. You recently heard that a player in your team is in a hospital. Write a letter to your team-mate. In your letter:

– Say how you feel about the news
– Ask about the treatment in the hospital
– Suggest some ways of cheering him/her up

Dear John,

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve fallen and fractured your leg. It is extremely unfortunate that you had this accident, especially when we are having a big match next week.
I understand that you’re admitted in St. John’s Hospital and will be there for a week. I hope you’re taken care well at the hospital. Although there had been some complaints about St. John’s in the past, I heard they have improved a lot. Did you get to consult their chief orthopaedical? His specialty is in sports medicine and he could probably suggest some specific treatments that will help you.

And let me share some good news with you. Our university has granted a sports scholarship for your studies. I heard it from our coach and you should be getting a letter shortly. So it is not all gloom!
Do let me know if you need any help. I will visit you at the hospital next week. Till then, bye.

Regards,

Prasad

This letter covers the requirements of the task, all the bullet points are addressed sufficiently. The information and ideas are presented logically, and the paragraphing is appropriate. Although there are some instances of poor word choice and grammar, most of the sentences are error-free. It is best to avoid using contractions (e.g. you’re, we’re) in IELTS letters. Overall, seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Your friend is coming over to stay with you

Your friend is coming over to stay with you. However, you will be away on vacation for a month. Write him/her a letter and say:

– How to get the keys to your flat
– How to operate the equipment in the flat, and
– Suggest a few places of interest to visit

Dear Susan,

Hope this finds you well. As I wrote to you in my previous letter, I am unable to cancel the finalized trip visit my parents. But, soon after you arrive in Melbourne, contact Jessie, a good friend of mine on 0425680256. She offered her help to pick you up from the airport and you can collect the key from her.

I must say that sometimes, the hot water geezer turns off automatically so, you might have to make sure it is switched on before having a shower. Also, the gas heater fixed in the lounge does not work, but you can use the oil heater in my bed room instead.

If you have time you might enjoy visiting the Aquarium, the Queen Victoria Market and the Botanical Gardens as these places are not that far from where I live. I hope you are happy with this arrangement, but if you need more help or information please let me know.

Looking forward to hear from you.

With love,

Amber.

All the requirements of the task were covered fairly well. The bullet points were mentioned, emphasized and illustrated in a suitable and logical way. The tone of this letter needs to be less formal. The ideas are presented in a logical order and all aspects of cohesion are taken care of well. The paragraphing is handled suitably and appropriately. Some sophisticated words/expressions are used in a clever way, with only occasional errors in word choice/expression choice. Most sentences are free of errors. Overall, seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Your friend is coming over to stay with you

You have recently moved to a different house/apartment. Write a letter to an English speaking friend. In your letter:

– Explain why you have moved
– Describe the new house/apartment
– Invite him/her to pay you a visit.

Dear Amber,

I hope this letter finds you and your family all well. I’m writing to tell you that I’ve just moved to a new apartment.

As you know, my old apartment needed to be renovated, but the landlord refused several times to allocate money for its renovation. Also, it becomes currently quite small for my family to live in as it has one bedroom only. At present, I have 2 children, who need 2 more bedrooms, a study room, and a wider area to play in.

My new apartment consists of 3 bedrooms, a comfortable living room, and a wonderful terrace, where my children can play safely. I’ve a suitable study room, where I can work in a quiet environment. All the interior, the paint on the walls and ceramic floors are of a marvelous condition, so no more maintenance is needed.

It’d be a great idea if you come with your family next weekend to see it. Let’s spend some exciting moments together and enjoy watching new movies in the living room. Think of it and let me know as soon as you can.

Please pass on my best wishes to your family.

All the best,

Maria.

All the requirements of the task were covered well. The bullet points were all sufficiently addressed. The ideas were presented in a logical order and all aspects of cohesion were taken care of well. The paragraphing was handled suitably and appropriately. Some more advanced vocabulary was used in a clever way, with only occasional errors or inaccuracies in word choice. Most sentences are error-free. Overall, seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS letter, topic: ask the college principal for information about a scholarship (from Ace the IELTS book)

This letter was written on a topic from “Ace the IELTS” book (page 41, reprinted with permission).

You are a student who wants to apply to the Green Pines College. You are experiencing financial problems at the moment.

Write a letter to the Principal of the College explaining your situation and ask for information on scholarships or other means of financial help available.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you in regard to scholarships available at the Green Pines College.

Your college is on the top of my list due to its unique reputation, and for that reason I prepared all the required paperwork well before the start of admission process. Even though I believe my likelihood of being accepted is quite high, one challenge might prevent me from enrolling. I was hoping you could guide me in order to overcome it and achieve my goal of studying at your college.

At present I have no source of income to cover tuition fees and study-related expenses. I found myself in this situation for a reason beyond my control: my entire savings were lost in the latest stock market crash.

I am, therefore, writing to request information about any available scholarships that your distinguished college may offer. I am aware of the fact that you often offer some sort of scholarships to cover study costs, at least partially.

In case you do not offer any scholarships, I would appreciate any advice to help me secure the required funds for my study.

I am looking forward to hearing back from you.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Jones

All the requirements of the task were covered well. The points listed in task statement were sufficiently addressed, with ideas in a logical order and cohesion maintained. The paragraphing is appropriate. The writer used a wide range of vocabulary in a skillful and effortless way; errors are very rare in this letter. Overall, this work seems worthy of Band 8.

IELTS letter, topic: ask the college principal for information about a scholarship (from Ace the IELTS book)

This letter was written on a topic from “Ace the IELTS” book (page 40, reprinted with permission).

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You rented a car from Car Rental Company. The air conditioner has stopped working. You phoned the company a week ago but it still has not been repaired.

Write a letter to the company. In your letter

– introduce yourself
– explain the situation
– say what action you would like the company to take

Write at least 150 words

You do not need to write your address.

Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir/Madam,

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to complain about the problem with the air conditioning of the car, which I rented on 24 April. My work as a product analyst requires driving minimum 6-8 hours a day on company business. In the hot weather that we have now, driving a car without a functional air conditioner is uncomfortable and very tiring.

The car I rented is a Toyota Camry with registration number VGW910. I rented this car from your Surfers Paradise rental office. I was assured that the car was in fully working condition but I noticed a fault with the air conditioner on the same day I picked the car up. It only worked for a short period of time before shutting off and couldn’t be turned on later. I phoned your customer service a week ago and was reassured that I will get a replacement car within 24 hours. It is extremely disappointing that I haven’t had any communication from them since that day.

I request an immediate replacement of the car and expect a reply from you as soon as possible. I also believe I deserve an apology and an appropriate compensation for the inconvenience caused to me.

Yours faithfully,

Matthew Hayes

IELTS letter, topic: request for information about a seminar (from Ace the IELTS book)

This letter was written on a topic from “Ace the IELTS” book (page 42, reprinted with permission).

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You would like to participate in a work-related seminar in another country. Write a letter to the person in charge of the seminar and ask for detailed information on the dates, the program, the accommodation and the cost.

Write at least 150 words

You do not need to write your address.

Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir/Madam,

Dear Sir /Madam,

My name is Samuel Finn and I am writing regarding the upcoming seminar to be held in Toronto, Canada in November this year. I work as a senior executive in a pharmaceutical company and the content of this seminar will provide me with the expert knowledge necessary for my role.

As I live in Australia and it will be an overseas trip for me, I would like some further information about the seminar, such as the duration of the seminar (including the exact dates), and whether or not the agenda for each day and the speakers are different. Also, as I am looking for some inexpensive accommodation close to the seminar venue, it would be very helpful if you could suggest some options. Lastly, I would like to get some information on seminar fees, as well as the typical costs of meals and travel in Toronto. My company will be paying for these, however I need to prepare an estimate in order to get approval to participate in the seminar.

I am planning to finalize the details of my trip soon and it would be great if you could help me with my queries at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully,

Samuel Finn

IELTS letter, topic: request for information about a seminar (from Ace the IELTS book)

This letter was written on a topic from “Ace the IELTS” book (page 42, reprinted with permission).

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You would like to participate in a work-related seminar in another country. Write a letter to the person in charge of the seminar and ask for detailed information on the dates, the program, the accommodation and the cost.

Write at least 150 words

You do not need to write your address.

Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir/Madam,

Dear Sir /Madam,

My name is Samuel Finn and I am writing regarding the upcoming seminar to be held in Toronto, Canada in November this year. I work as a senior executive in a pharmaceutical company and the content of this seminar will provide me with the expert knowledge necessary for my role.

As I live in Australia and it will be an overseas trip for me, I would like some further information about the seminar, such as the duration of the seminar (including the exact dates), and whether or not the agenda for each day and the speakers are different. Also, as I am looking for some inexpensive accommodation close to the seminar venue, it would be very helpful if you could suggest some options. Lastly, I would like to get some information on seminar fees, as well as the typical costs of meals and travel in Toronto. My company will be paying for these, however I need to prepare an estimate in order to get approval to participate in the seminar.

I am planning to finalize the details of my trip soon and it would be great if you could help me with my queries at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully,

Samuel Finn

IELTS Letter, topic: Applying for an advertised position

You work a part-time job in a company, and the company posted an advert seeking a person for a full-time position. Write a letter to your manager requesting to apply for the advertised position. In your letter say

– Why do you want to apply?
– What are your future goals?
– Why would it be beneficial for the company?

Dear Mr. Collins,

My name is Lisa Prior and I have been working as a pharmacist assistant in Publix for over 11 months. I am writing to you with reference to the full-time position of principal pharmacist that I have recently seen advertised.

I would like to opt for this position since I finished my Bachelor of Pharmacy degree last month, and am able to work full time. Additionally, the vast experience I have gained by working here side by side with Dr. Loon makes me adequate for this position. Dr Loon is willing to provide you with all the necessary references regarding my performance at work.

Moreover, I am going to start a Master of Pharmacy degree next semester which will not affect my current working schedules at the pharmacy; however, having a better prepared staff member may increase the sales through my providing professional advice to patients on a daily basis. As I prefer this pharmacy over the rest, I would like to continue my professional growth here.

Thank you for your attention, and I hope to receive a positive response to my application.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Faithfully yours,

Lisa Prior

This letter covers all the requirements of the task; all the bullet points are addressed. The information is organized well and the writer progresses from one idea to the next smoothly. The vocabulary is adequate for the purpose of this letter, with just a few instances of inaccurate word choice. Overall this letter seems to be worthy of IELTS Band 8.

IELTS letter, topic: ask the college principal for information about a scholarship (from Ace the IELTS book)

You have recently flown to another country on a business trip. You were satisfied with the flight, but didn’t like services at the airport. Write a letter to the airport manager and say

– Give your flight details.
– Why were you disappointed?
– Suggest some improvements to the airport services.

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Diane Norman, and I came through your airport on March 1st. I flew with United Airlines on flight number 145 to Portland, Oregon. I was travelling on business, and found the services offered by the airline splendid across the board.

As for the services provided by the airport, unfortunately, I didn’t experience a similar level of satisfaction. In fact, I was extremely disappointed with them. There were not enough employees to serve travelers. Moreover, the quality of customer service was very poor. The airport workers were unable to answer our questions about the process of online check in, or deal with minor requests, such as informing tourists about locations of restrooms and stores. Another issue that we struggled with was the slow internet connection with intermittent drop outs.

Considering the problems we encountered, I would like to suggest some possible solutions. Hiring more staff, and giving them training on everything they need to know about the airport, and also how to treat customers in a courteous way, would help improve our airport experience. With regard to internet connection, I would recommend a more reliable internet provider.

Thank you for taking time to read my letter, and I hope this information helps improve airport services in the nearest future.

Faithfully yours,

Diane Norman

This letter covers the task including all the bullet points and presents a well-developed response. Ideas flow naturally and paragraphing helps to organize the information. The vocabulary is adequate for the purpose of this letter and the level of formality is appropriate. Overall this letter seems to be worthy of IELTS Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Enquiring about lost clothes

You stayed at a hotel recently and forgot your clothes there. Write a letter to the hotel manager and say

– When and where did you stay?
– Describe your clothes.
– What would you like the manager to do about it?

Answer

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Maria Johanson, I stayed at your hotel last week from the 13th till the 17th of June, and my room number was 804, located on the 8th floor. I am writing to seek your help with finding my belongings, which I accidentally left behind during my stay at the Hilton Dreams hotel.

I forgot one bag inside the lounge room, in the wardrobe by the front door. It’s a silver Samsonite medium size bag and inside you will find, among other things, a brand new black shirt with Ralph Lauren tag and one pair of blue jeans. These clothes haven’t been worn, as I just bought them during my stay at the mall located directly behind the hotel.

I would appreciate your assistance with finding my bag, and if possible, having it shipped to my home address that you have on file. I am prepared to transfer the shipment fees to the hotel bank account upon receiving your confirmation.

Thank you in advance for your help, and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours Faithfully,

Maria Johanson.

The purpose of this letter is clear. Its author covered all the bullet points in the task statement and produced a fluent, coherent response, with the ideas sequenced and presented in a logical way. The vocabulary and level of formality are suitable for this type of letter. Overall this response seems to be worthy of IELTS Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: Inviting a friend to a family party

Write a letter to your friend inviting him/her to your family party. In your letter

– Explain why you are organizing the party.
– Describe what you are planning to do.
– Say how important it is to have your friend at the party.

Answer

Dear Peter,

I hope you and your family are doing well. It is my sister’s birthday this weekend, and we are throwing a little party for family and close friends. You should definitely come!

The party is going be at the café in High Street, where we used to spend a lot of quality time together. I’m sure you know the way to the café very well, but in case you can’t remember simply text me, and I will send you directions. The program for the party is quite fun; we are going to eat, listen to music, and I’ll bring a specially ordered cake with my sister’s name written on it.

You and I have been friends for so long, and you know how much my sister loves you. She will be thrilled if you come. Also, I know you haven’t seen each other for a long time, since you left town to start university. I hope you are doing well in there, and my sister and I would love to hear all about it at the party.

Hope to see you very soon.

Yours,

Liam

The purpose of this letter is clear, and all parts of the question were covered in its three paragraphs. This response is easy to read, thanks to the logical flow of ideas and fluency in their presentation. The vocabulary used here achieves an informal tone that this type of letter requires. Overall this letter seems to be worthy of IELTS Band 8.

IELTS letter, topic: ask the college principal for information about a scholarship (from Ace the IELTS book)

You have just finished your master’s degree and need to leave your current part-time job to search for full-time employment.

Write a letter to your current employer. In your letter:

– explain why you will not be able to pursue a full-time job in his/her company
– say why you’ve enjoyed working for him/her
– tell him/her how much longer you will continue to work for him/her.

Answer

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to inform you of my resignation in order to seek a full-time position at another company.

I will be unable to continue to work at your company as I have decided to pursue a career in Marketing. Being an international student, I was working here to support myself and fund my education. However, now that I finished my master’s degree in Marketing, I would like to start working in my profession.

I greatly enjoyed my time working as a retail associate in your company. Not only did I have an opportunity to meet new people, but also it helped me polish my English speaking and listening skills.

I can continue working here for the next 2 weeks. After that, I would like to dedicate all of my time to the application process for the companies I would like to work at.

I hope that I was a valuable employee to you, and would appreciate a reference letter from you to my future employer.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
Rowena Marti

This letter covers all the bullet points from the task statement. The information is organized in a logical way and cohesive devices are used appropriately. The range of vocabulary is adequate for the purpose of this letter. Sentence structures are varied and the grammar is well controlled. Overall this letter seems to be worthy of IELTS Band 8.

IELTS letter, topic: ask the college principal for information about a scholarship (from Ace the IELTS book)

Write a letter to your friend inviting him/her to a music concert. Please say:

– Where and when does the concert start?
– What type of music will be played there?
– Why do you think your friend will enjoy it?

Answer

Dear Sally,

Hope this letter finds you well. I haven’t forgotten how much you helped me, my lovely friend, when you looked after my house and my puppies while I travelled to Bali last month.

To thank you I bought two tickets to a music concert that is going to be held in the city hall next Friday. The concert will start at 8 pm. I hope you will be free by then and will be able to join me.

Different bands are going to play rock-n-roll music, your favorite kind, so I am sure we are going to have fun there.

Although I was only able to purchase two tickets for us, my friends Anna and Diana, whom you met at my last birthday party also bought tickets online. We can all go together, the more, the merrier. So, let me know if you are going to be able join us. Give my love to your family.

Looking forward to seeing you at the city hall next Friday.

Love,
Patricia

This letter includes all the required items from the task statement. There is a clear logical flow of information and the use of paragraphing is appropriate. The use of informal vocabulary is suitable for this type of letter. The writer demonstrated good control of grammar. Overall this letter seems to be worthy of IELTS Band 8.

IELTS Letter, topic: informing your manager about a presentation you were asked to prepare

Your Manager has asked you to do a presentation at the upcoming training session. Write a letter to your manager and say

– What is the topic of presentation?
– What is the benefit of conducting a session on that topic?
– What are your requirements for conducting this presentation?

Answer

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing to inform you about the details of the presentation that you asked me to prepare for our staff at the upcoming training.

I decided to make ‘Negotiation Skills and Techniques’ the main topic of this presentation because I believe that it is one of the foundation skills for any sales representative. My presentation will include many case scenarios and examples since I would like to provide our attendees with practical experience during the session. In addition, I intend to conduct a quiz at the end of the session to evaluate the knowledge our colleagues gained from the talk and their understanding of the material I delivered.

The reason why I feel our staff would benefit from this particular training is that our company, WorldMed, is one of the largest pharmaceutical corporations in the world, and has always put emphasis on improving skills of its employees. Advanced negotiation skills will help our sales representatives secure new business for the company. Consequently, the sales volumes of our products are likely to increase due to the higher number of contracts with our company’s key customers.

For the presentation to be effective, I would need to spend one hour delivering the training and another 15 to 20 minutes conducting the quiz. A sizable meeting room with a projector and a large screen will be required, as well as stickers of 3 different colours. These will be used to divide the audience into three teams to increase their interaction during the presentation.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
Scott Wood

This letter covers the entire task statement (one paragraph per bullet point). The information is presented in an organized manner and there is a clear and logical flow of ideas. As this is a business letter, the use of formal vocabulary is appropriate. The writer demonstrated good control of grammar and varied use of sentence structures. Overall this letter seems to be worthy of IELTS Band 8.

IELTS letter, topic: ask the college principal for information about a scholarship.

This letter topic appeared in one of the most recent IELTS exams.

You have purchased a product on a website and received a different product. Write a letter to the company. In your letter

– Describe the product you ordered
– Explain why you aren’t satisfied with the product you received
– Let them know what actions you expect them to take

Answer

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing in regard to the laptop case I ordered on your website three weeks ago, order #237891. I have just received a parcel from your company and unfortunately, I have been sent the wrong product.

I ordered a black leather laptop bag suitable for 15 inch devices, which has a magnetic closure and 2 large compartments, as well as a zipped compartment on the back for papers. It also has a front pocket for pens and memory sticks.

The bag I received from your company in error, has none of the features I require. It is much smaller than the size I ordered; suits only 13 inch devices, is made of fabric instead of leather and has no shoulder strap. This bag is of no use to me as my laptop cannot fit in it, and its fabric isn’t waterproof which means insufficient protection from the weather elements. I travel a lot for work and water damage to my laptop is a risk I am not prepared to accept.

To resolve this issue I would like to receive a free return authorization from your company for the bag you sent me in error, and I would also like to request that you send the correct bag I ordered at the earliest, as I need it for work. If the bag I originally ordered is unavailable, I would like to receive a full refund to my credit card. I expect to receive a confirmation letter from you within 2 business days.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Warren Pete.

IELTS letter, topic: ask the college principal for information about a scholarship

This letter topic appeared in a recent IELTS exam in Canada.

You read a newspaper article that captured your attention. Write letter to your friend and recommend reading the article. Include the following in your letter:

– Where and when the article was published
– What the article was about
– Why it is important that your friend reads it.

Answer

Dear Monk,

I hope that you are well and enjoying your new apartment. I am writing to tell you about an article I have just read in our local newspaper in “The Star News” on September 21 (page 16).

The article is about a new coding course, which will be introduced by the London branch of a well-known international IT company. This program covers a vast number of different topics related to the Information Technology industry, and it was prepared for individuals with different backgrounds, ranging from a complete beginner to an experienced team leader. Moreover, during the initial period of 3 months the course is free of charge, so that students can take a flavor of the course. Also the course has a flexible schedule, which makes it attractive for people in full-time employment.

As far as I remember, you always wanted to become a software developer and mentioned that finding suitable IT related courses in our area was nearly impossible. I hope this article will be useful to you and may even help you start your dream career. I am attaching a clipping of the article with all the details to this letter.

Looking forward to catching up with you again soon.

All the best,

Peter