General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · giving information

Letter to a neighbour regarding a small gathering

You are having a small gathering at your house and there might be some noise.

Write a letter to your neighbor. In your letter:

inform them about the gathering and when it will take place
apologize in advance for any potential noise
assure them that the gathering will end at a reasonable hour

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear Mr/Ms [Name],

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr Henderson,

I am writing to let you know that I will be hosting a small get-together at my home this coming Saturday evening. I wanted to reach out personally to ensure you are aware of the event, as I anticipate there may be a bit more noise than usual.

We are planning for guests to arrive around 7:00 pm, and I sincerely apologize in advance for any disturbance this may cause you. I am mindful that sound carries quite easily between our properties, and I have asked my friends to be considerate of the volume throughout the evening.

Please rest assured that I am committed to keeping the noise levels moderate. We intend to wrap things up and move indoors by 10:30 pm, with all guests departing shortly thereafter, so I do not expect the evening to run late.

I truly appreciate your patience and understanding regarding this. Should anything become overly loud or problematic, please do not hesitate to knock on my door and let me know immediately.

Best wishes,

Alex Thompson

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly covers all three bullet points with a polite, consistent tone and natural flow. The most common mistake in Band 6 answers is failing to address the specific time constraints, often resulting in vague language that lacks the necessary detail for a successful task response.

Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

Useful phrases from the letter

get-together: an informal social gathering or meeting of people
anticipate: to expect or predict that something will happen
disturbance: an interruption or noise that causes annoyance
mindful: being conscious or aware of something
moderate: kept within reasonable or average limits
problematic: constituting or presenting a difficulty or issue

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?

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

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.