General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · making arrangements

Booking inquiry for a family weekend seaside stay

You and your family are planning to spend a weekend at a seaside hotel.

Write a letter to the hotel to make the arrangements. In your letter:

when you will be arriving and leaving?
what type of rooms you would like and ask how much the weekend will cost
inquire about activities and places of interest near the hotel

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear Sir/Madam,

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to request a reservation for my family to stay at your hotel for the upcoming weekend. We are hoping to visit your establishment from Friday, 14th July, departing on the afternoon of Sunday, 16th July.

Regarding accommodation, we require two adjoining rooms with sea views to comfortably house two adults and two children. Could you please confirm the total cost for these two nights, including breakfast for all four guests? Please let me know if there are any specific deposit requirements to secure this booking.

Furthermore, as we are unfamiliar with the area, I would appreciate your recommendations regarding local activities suitable for children. We are particularly interested in any nearby beaches, coastal walking trails, or historical landmarks that would be appropriate for a family outing. If the hotel offers any guided tours or equipment rental services, such as bicycles, please provide details on those as well.

Thank you for your assistance with these arrangements. I look forward to receiving your confirmation.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Miller

171 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with specific, natural details while maintaining a consistently professional tone. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to ask for the total cost or neglecting to mention both arrival and departure dates.

Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

Useful phrases from the letter

establishment: a business or hotel that is being visited
adjoining: two rooms connected by an internal door
reservation: an arrangement to secure a room in advance
landmarks: prominent objects or features in a landscape
equipment rental: hiring items like bikes for a fee
outings: short trips taken for pleasure or education

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Practise IELTS General writing

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Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

How long should an IELTS General Training letter be?

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.