Structure and tone
How to write an IELTS formal letter
- →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.
The outline every sample here follows
- 1.Salutation: Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
- 2.Opening: State the purpose of the letter in the first one or two sentences.
- 3.Body: One paragraph per bullet point, in the order given, each with a specific detail (a date, a name, a reason).
- 4.Closing line: Close with the action you want: I would appreciate a reply by Friday, or Let me know when you are free.
- 5.Sign-off: A sign-off that matches the salutation, then your name.
121 to 180 of 266
All IELTS formal letter samples
- Letter to Accommodation Officer regarding college course stayYou are going on a short course to a training college abroad. It is a college that you have not been to before.formal · request
- Letter to accommodation officer regarding shared room issuesYou live in a room in college which you share with another student. However, there are many problems with this arrangement and you find it very difficult to work.formal · request
- Letter to Accommodation Officer Requesting Short-term College HousingYou are going on a short training course at a college in Greenmount, Northern Ireland. You need somewhere to live while you are there.formal · request
- Letter to accommodation officer requesting student housing assistanceYou are going to study at a college in another country. You need to find a place to live.formal · request
- Letter to Airline Complaining About Missed FlightYou missed a flight due to a problem at the airport.formal · complaint
- Letter to airline regarding a lost cabin bagLast Tuesday you flew from New York to Paris. When you arrived home, you discovered that you had left your cabin bag on the plane.formal · request
- Letter to airline regarding lost hand luggageLast Wednesday you flew from London to Vancouver. When you arrived home, you discovered that you had left your hand luggage on the plane.formal · request
- Letter to airline reporting lost hand luggageLast Wednesday you flew from London to Vancouver. When you arrived home, you discovered that you had left your hand luggage on the plane.formal · giving information
- Letter to Airline Reporting Lost Item on FlightLast week you were on a flight to London. Unfortunately, when you left the plane, you left a bag. You did not remember about the bag until you got to your hotel.formal · request
- Letter to airline requesting flight date changeYou have bought an airline ticket, but for some reason, you will not be able to travel on the day scheduled.formal · request
- Letter to an Admissions Tutor Rescheduling an InterviewYou have been invited to attend an interview for a place to study a course at a college. Unfortunately, because of a previous appointment, you cannot come at the time they wish.formal · making arrangements
- Letter to an agency requesting long-term rental accommodationYou will go to a foreign country to stay there for one year, and you need a place to live in. You have decided to write to an agency for accommodation.formal · giving information
- Letter to an Australian scholarship provider for fundingAn Australian company offers money to foreign students to study in Australia.formal · application
- Letter to an Editor Correcting Inaccurate Article InformationYou are living overseas and you have just come across an article about your country in a magazine where some of the information is incorrect.formal · giving information
- Letter to an Editor recommending an influential bookA magazine wants to include contributions from its readers for an article called 'The book that influenced me most'.formal · other
- Letter to an electrical store inquiring about stockYou would like to buy some electrical goods at a shop in a nearby town.formal · giving information
- Letter to an Employer Requesting Interview ReschedulingYou were supposed to go on an interview in a few weeks, but you have since found out you cannot go on the date arranged.formal · request
- Letter to an employment agency seeking part-time workYou are looking for a part-time job.formal · application
- Letter to an MP secretary inviting them to meetingYou are organizing a local committee meeting. You would like a local MP to attend the meeting to contribute to a discussion about green areas in the community.formal · invitation
- Letter to an online retailer regarding damaged goodsYou ordered an item from an online store and it has arrived damaged.formal · complaint
- Letter to bank manager complaining about a chequebook ordered by appYou ordered a new chequebook from your bank two weeks ago but you have received nothing.formal · complaint
- Letter to bank manager complaining about a chequebook ordered onlineYou ordered a new cheque book from your bank two weeks ago, but you have received nothing.formal · complaint
- Letter to bank manager complaining about missing chequebookYou ordered a new chequebook from your bank two weeks ago but you have received nothing.formal · complaint
- Letter to bank manager regarding incorrect account deductionYou Have Received a Bank Statement Showing that The Bank Has Deducted Some Money from Your Account. You Think That They Have Made a Mistake.formal · complaint
- Letter to bank manager regarding missing bank cardYou have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge receipt of a new bank card. However, the card was missing from the envelope.formal · complaint
- Letter to building manager regarding bicycle parking issuesYou recently started commuting to work by bicycle and discovered that there is a problem with bicycle parking near the building where you work.formal · complaint
- Letter to Bus Company Manager Regarding Lost DocumentsYou have accidentally missed some important papers on a bus.formal · request
- Letter to City Council opposing historic building demolitionYour city council is planning to pull down one of the historic buildings in your town because they do not have funds to renovate it. As a citizen, you do not want it to happen.formal · other
- Letter to City Councillor Opposing Proposed Shopping CentreYou have learned from a news article that a real estate company is going to build a shopping centre near your home. However, you think that the shopping centre should not be built there.formal · complaint
- Letter to club secretary resigning from membershipFor the past year, you have been a member of a local club. Now you want to discontinue your membership.formal · other
- Letter to college administrator regarding course cancellationYou recently booked a part-time course at a college. You now need to cancel your booking.formal · other
- Letter to College Director Requesting Academic DocumentsLast year you attended a presentation skill course at the Sydney College of Australia. Your new employer has asked you to provide copies of your reports and assignments as quickly as possible.formal · request
- Letter to College Enrolment Officer Requesting Course AdmissionAlthough you have never formally studied computing, you have always been interested in computers. You have just read about a computer course that really interests you, but it is only for people who have completed an elementary course.formal · application
- Letter to College Inquiring About Photography CourseYou saw an advertisement for an evening photography course at a local college and would like more details before enrolling.formal · giving information
- Letter to college librarian regarding overdue booksYou borrowed some books from your school or college library. Unfortunately, you have to go away to visit a sick relative and cannot return the books in time.formal · giving information
- Letter to college magazine suggesting cafeteria improvementsYou eat at your college cafeteria every lunchtime. However, you think it needs some improvements.formal · other
- Letter to College Magazine Suggesting Cafeteria Improvements (complaint)You eat in your college cafeteria everyday lunchtime. However, you think it needs some improvements.formal · complaint
- Letter to college principal offering career talkA local college wants people with a job to come and talk to students about what it is like to work. You would like to do this.formal · application
- Letter to college principal offering career talk (giving information)A local college wants people with a job to come and talk to students about what it is like to work. You would like to come forward and talk to the students about your job.formal · giving information
- Letter to College Principal Requesting Duplicate Course CertificateYour company has sent you to an English-speaking country to do a course. You have finished it and got a certificate which unfortunately you have lost.formal · request
- Letter to College Principal Requesting Leave of AbsenceYou are currently taking a course at a college but you will need to have a week off during this course.formal · request
- Letter to College Principal Requesting Replacement CertificateYour company has sent you for a course abroad, and you got a certificate there, but you somehow lost it.formal · request
- Letter to college principal withdrawing from accepted courseYou have recently applied for a course at a college and have been accepted. However, you cannot join the course due to some reasons.formal · other
- Letter to college professor regarding course withdrawalYou find that your study load is too heavy.formal · request
- Letter to college regarding short course applicationYou are interested in studying a short course at a college in an English speaking country.formal · application
- Letter to college tutor explaining course enrollment reasonsYou have just started a new course at a college and your tutor has asked you to write him a letter with the reasons for your enrollment in the course.formal · giving information
- Letter to community center manager requesting event spaceYou want to organize an event for your community.formal · request
- Letter to Community Hall Manager regarding practice spaceYou are part of a group of musicians who meet on Tuesday and Friday evenings to practice in the community hall. You have been told, however, that it is no longer possible for the group to use the hall.formal · request
- Letter to Company Suggesting Community Funding PrioritiesA large company in your area has decided to spend a certain amount of money, either to sponsor a local children's sports team for two years or to pay for two open-air concerts. It has asked for feedback from the general public.formal · advice
- Letter to computer shop manager regarding unsatisfactory repairYou recently sent your computer to be repaired at a shop. However, you are not satisfied with the repair.formal · complaint
- Letter to conference manager enquiring about training facilitiesThe company you work for is planning to provide special training for staff. Your duty is to find out if the local conference center has suitable facilities in order to hold the training.formal · giving information
- Letter to Council Director regarding public park improvementsYou are a regular visitor to your local public park, but you have noticed that some areas and facilities need improvement.formal · request
- Letter to course lecturer withdrawing from evening classesYou are employed full-time and also doing a part-time evening course. You are not able to continue the course.formal · giving information
- Letter to course provider regarding substandard accommodation issuesYou are studying a short course in another country. Your accommodation was arranged by the course provider. There is a major problem with the accommodation.formal · complaint
- Letter to Customer Service regarding a damaged orderYou recently ordered a small item online but when it arrived, it was damaged.formal · complaint
- Letter to Employer Explaining Delay in Starting JobYou were going to start a job next month, but you will not be able to.formal · apology
- Letter to Festival Organisers Congratulating on SuccessAn annual event was recently held in your area. Now you want to write to the organizers of this event congratulating them on a successful production.formal · thanks
- Letter to furniture company regarding damaged orderYou recently ordered some wooden furniture online for your new apartment. However, when it arrived, several pieces were badly damaged.formal · complaint
- Letter to gym manager regarding a lost bagYou forget your bag in the gym and the gym management announced that it will be closed for a week for some renovation work. You need your bag as it has important things in it.formal · request
- Letter to gym manager regarding lost personal bagYou forgot your bag in the gym, and the gym management announced that it would be closed for a week for some renovation work. You need your bag as it has important things in it.formal · request
Frequently asked questions
When do I write a formal letter?+
Formal letters go to an organisation, an official or someone you do not know. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
How should I structure an IELTS formal letter?+
Open with the purpose in one sentence, then one paragraph per bullet point in the order given. Close with the action you want: I would appreciate a reply by Friday, or Let me know when you are free.
How many words and how long for the letter?+
At least 150 words in about 20 minutes; 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Leave 40 minutes for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.
How is the letter scored?+
Scored on task achievement (purpose clear, all bullets covered, tone consistent), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Task 1 is worth half of Task 2.
Keep going
Other IELTS letter types
- Semi-Formal letters · 88
- Informal letters · 129
- Complaint letters · 118
- Request letters · 103
- Information letters · 67
- Application letters · 42
- Apology letters · 31
- Advice letters · 28
- Arrangement letters · 25
- Invitation letters · 19
- Thank-You letters · 15
- Landlord letters · 20
- All IELTS letter samples
- IELTS General Training writing practice
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