General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · giving information

Formal Letter to College Principal Regarding Application Status

You have planned to study in Australia. You have sent a letter to a college, but you have not received a reply from the college.

Write a letter to the college principal. In your letter:

you should give details of the course that you wish to do
say why do you choose to study at the college
say why you need the reply soon

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Principal Thompson,

I am writing to formally enquire about the status of my application for the Master of Data Science programme, which I submitted via your online portal on 15th January. To date, I have not received any correspondence regarding the outcome of my submission.

My primary interest lies in your institution’s renowned programme in Data Science. I have long admired the college’s commitment to cutting-edge research, particularly the focus on artificial intelligence applications in healthcare. Having reviewed the curriculum, I am confident that the practical laboratory sessions will provide the essential skills required for my career progression.

I chose your college specifically because of its strong industry partnerships in Melbourne. These links offer invaluable internship opportunities that are simply not available elsewhere. I believe this environment is the ideal setting to refine my technical expertise.

It is imperative that I receive a decision shortly, as I must finalise my visa arrangements and secure student accommodation before the semester commences in July. Any delay in this process could jeopardise my ability to enrol on time. I would be most grateful if you could look into this matter at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Miller

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a logical flow and a consistently professional register throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific reasons for choosing the college, instead using vague, repetitive language that does not demonstrate advanced vocabulary.

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

enquire: to ask for information about something
correspondence: communication by exchanging letters or emails
renowned: known or talked about by many people
imperative: of vital importance and needing urgent attention
jeopardise: to put something into a situation of danger
commences: to begin or start an event

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.