General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · giving information

Letter to a bus company regarding lost valuables

You recently travelled by bus from your hometown to a different city and left some valuable items on the bus.

Write a letter to a bus company saying you have left some valuables on the bus. Tell them what to do if they have found it. In your letter:

what steps should I take to report lost items and check if they have been found?
is there a specific department or contact person I should reach out to for lost and found inquiries?
how long does it typically take to process and return lost items to their owners?

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Customer Service Team,

I am writing to report that I inadvertently left a small brown leather briefcase on the 14:30 express bus from Bristol to London yesterday, 12th October. The bus registration number is YJ62 KLP, and I was seated in row 4, seat C.

Could you please advise on the formal steps required to lodge a lost property report? I have already searched your website, but I am uncertain if I need to complete an online form or visit the depot in person to verify if the item has been recovered by the driver.

Furthermore, is there a specific department or a dedicated contact person I should liaise with regarding lost and found inquiries? I would appreciate it if you could provide a direct email address or a telephone extension for the relevant office so that I may follow up on this matter efficiently.

Finally, could you clarify the typical timeframe for processing such reports and returning items to their rightful owners? As the briefcase contains essential documents, I am anxious to resolve this as soon as possible.

Thank you for your assistance with this urgent matter.

Yours faithfully,

Julian Thorne

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response addresses all three bullet points with specific, relevant details while maintaining a consistently professional and polite tone. A common mistake at Band 6 is providing vague information, such as failing to include the bus route or time, which makes the request ineffective and unrealistic.

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

inadvertently: without intention or by accidental oversight
lodge: to submit a formal request or complaint
recovered: to find or get back something lost
liaise: to cooperate and communicate with an organization
timeframe: a specific period in which something occurs
rightful: having a legitimate or legal claim to

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

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

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.