General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · thanks

Letter to Festival Organisers Congratulating on Success

An annual event was recently held in your area. Now you want to write to the organizers of this event congratulating them on a successful production.

Write a letter to the organizers. In your letter:

give details of the event
mention what you liked the most about the event
make a polite criticism of something you thought could be improved

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Event Committee,

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the wonderful Heritage Arts Festival held in Riverside Park last weekend. It was an exceptionally well-organised production that brought our community together in a truly meaningful way.

The event featured an impressive array of local musicians, traditional craft stalls, and food vendors representing our diverse regional history. I was particularly struck by the evening concert on Saturday, where the local youth orchestra performed a breathtaking repertoire of folk arrangements under the stars. The atmosphere was vibrant, inclusive, and reflected months of meticulous planning.

While the event was largely a triumph, I would like to offer a suggestion regarding the waste management facilities. By mid-afternoon, the few available recycling bins were completely overflowing, which resulted in significant littering across the main lawn. Providing additional bins or a more frequent collection schedule next year would ensure the park remains as pristine as it was before the festivities began.

Thank you once again for your dedication to our town. I look forward to attending next year's celebration.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response addresses all bullet points with specific, natural details while maintaining a consistently formal tone throughout the letter. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to provide a constructive suggestion for improvement, often resulting in a vague or overly critical complaint rather than a balanced letter.

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

meticulous: showing great attention to detail and care
repertoire: a collection of pieces that someone performs
inclusive: covering or including a wide range of people
triumph: a great success, achievement, or victory
pristine: in its original condition; clean and fresh
festivities: the activities and events during a celebration

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.