Letter to Council Director regarding public park improvements
You are a regular visitor to your local public park, but you have noticed that some areas and facilities need improvement.
Write a letter to the relevant person. In your letter:
- explain why you like visiting the park
- describe the problems or areas that need attention
- suggest specific improvements that would help the community
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 a regular visitor to Oakwood Community Park and have long appreciated the green space it provides for our local residents. I am writing to bring to your attention several maintenance issues that currently detract from the park’s appeal.
I personally enjoy visiting the park three times a week for my morning jogs. It is a vital sanctuary for exercise and relaxation, offering a peaceful environment that is increasingly rare in our urban neighbourhood.
However, I have noticed that the children’s playground equipment is showing signs of significant wear, with rusted bolts and cracked plastic slides posing a potential safety risk. Additionally, the western walking trail has become overgrown with thorny bushes, making it difficult for pedestrians to pass safely. Furthermore, the litter bins are frequently overflowing by mid-afternoon, leading to an unsightly accumulation of refuse.
I suggest that the council schedules a safety inspection of the play area and arranges for the maintenance team to prune the overgrown vegetation. Installing larger, lidded bins would also prevent the current pest issues. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to our local amenities.
Yours sincerely,
Arthur Pendelton
192 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.
Why this scores well
This response earns a Band 8 by fully addressing all three bullet points with specific, realistic details while maintaining a consistently professional tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific suggestions for improvement, instead offering only vague complaints about the park's condition.
- 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
- sanctuary
- a place of refuge or safety and peace
- detract
- to diminish the worth or value of something
- amenities
- useful or desirable features of a public place
- overgrown
- covered with plants that have grown too much
- refuse
- matter thrown away as waste or rubbish
- vital
- absolutely necessary or important for success
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.
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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.
What does the examiner look for?
This response earns a Band 8 by fully addressing all three bullet points with specific, realistic details while maintaining a consistently professional tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific suggestions for improvement, instead offering only vague complaints about the park's condition.
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