General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · request

Letter to a Bookstore Manager Requesting a Specific Book

You want to buy a book and you have found the book in a bookshop.

Write a letter to the bookshop manager. In your letter:

ask him to find the book
ask about the cost
ask him to send it to you

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am contacting you to enquire about a specific publication I recently located in your establishment’s catalogue. I would be most grateful if you could assist me in securing this item.

Could you please verify if a copy of the hardback edition of 'The Architecture of Ancient Civilisations' by Dr. Alistair Finch is currently available in your inventory? I visited your store last Tuesday and noted the title on your shelves, though I was unable to retrieve it at that time.

Furthermore, I would appreciate it if you could confirm the total cost of the book, including any applicable shipping fees for delivery to my residence. Please let me know the total amount due so that I may arrange payment promptly.

Finally, I would like to request that you ship the volume to my home address once the transaction is complete. I am happy to provide my details via telephone or email to facilitate the process. I look forward to your assistance in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Sterling

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

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with a sophisticated, consistent formal tone and precise, natural vocabulary. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to mention all three required points or using overly casual language inappropriate for a formal business request.

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
establishment: A business organization or shop
inventory: A complete list of items in stock
applicable: Relevant or appropriate for the situation
facilitate: To make an action or process easier
volume: A single book that is part of a series

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.