General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · other

Letter to a professional singer expressing admiration and requesting advice

You recently went to a concert and thought one of the singers was very good. You want to tell him how you feel.

Write a letter to the singer. In your letter:

say how you feel about his performance
give details of your musical activities
explain how you would like him to help you with your musical activities

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr. Harrison,

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for your outstanding performance at the Royal Albert Hall last Saturday evening. Your rendition of the evening’s closing ballad was truly breathtaking and left a lasting impression on me.

I have been a dedicated student of classical piano and vocal performance for over a decade. Currently, I am preparing for my final conservatory auditions, which requires a deep understanding of emotional resonance in phrasing. Witnessing your technical precision combined with such genuine vulnerability on stage was deeply inspiring for my own development.

Given your expertise in interpreting complex scores, I would be incredibly grateful if you could offer some guidance. Specifically, I am struggling to maintain vocal control during high-intensity passages while playing intricate accompaniment. Would you be willing to spare a moment to suggest any specific breathing techniques or practice routines that helped you master this balance?

I understand you have a demanding schedule, but any advice would be invaluable to my career aspirations. Thank you for your time and for the joy your music brings to your audience.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Thorne

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

Why this scores well

This response achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with sophisticated, specific details that maintain a consistent formal tone throughout. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is using an overly informal tone or failing to explain exactly how the singer's help would benefit their specific musical practice.

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

rendition: a performance or interpretation of a musical work
emotional resonance: the ability of music to evoke deep feelings
technical precision: the ability to perform music with exact accuracy
vulnerability: the quality of being open and emotionally honest
intricate: very complicated or detailed in design or structure
invaluable: extremely useful or helpful in a significant way

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.