General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · request

Letter to Accommodation Officer Requesting Short-term College Housing

You are going on a short training course at a college in Greenmount, Northern Ireland. You need somewhere to live while you are there.

Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In your letter:

explain your situation
describe the accommodation you require
say when you will need it

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 writing to enquire about housing options during my upcoming visit to Greenmount College. I have been accepted onto the two-week intensive horticultural training course commencing next month, and I am currently seeking suitable lodgings for the duration of my stay.

Regarding my requirements, I would prefer a quiet, single room within the college residences or a local homestay arrangement. It is essential that I have access to a desk for study purposes and a reliable internet connection. If possible, I would appreciate being located within walking distance of the main campus to facilitate early starts for my practical sessions.

I will require this accommodation from Sunday, 12th October, until my departure on Saturday, 25th October. Please confirm if there is availability during this period and provide details regarding the associated costs and any necessary deposit I might need to pay in advance.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Pendelton

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with specific, relevant details while maintaining a consistently professional tone. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide specific dates, which forces the officer to guess the duration, or using overly casual language inappropriate for a formal 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
commencing: beginning or starting at a specific time
lodgings: temporary accommodation while working or studying
homestay: living in the home of a local person
facilitate: to make a process easier or possible
associated: connected with a particular activity or process

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.