General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · advice

Letter to Library Manager Suggesting Service Improvements

Your local library wants to improve its services and facilities.

Write a letter to the library. In your letter:

explain who you are make your suggestions
explain how this would make the library better

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Library Manager,

I am a regular user of the Oakwood District Library and have been a member of this branch for over five years. I visit the facility several times a week to study, and I am writing to propose a few enhancements to the current services and environment.

My primary suggestion is to extend the operating hours on weekends and introduce a dedicated quiet zone for students. Currently, the library closes at 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays, which limits access for those of us working full-time during the week. Additionally, the main reading area often becomes quite noisy due to the proximity of the children’s section.

Implementing these changes would significantly improve the library experience. Longer weekend hours would accommodate a wider demographic of users, while a designated silent study area would provide the focused environment necessary for academic research. These upgrades would transform the library into a far more versatile community hub, fostering higher attendance and better engagement with our collection.

I hope you will take these recommendations into consideration as you plan future developments. Thank you for your time and dedication to our library.

Yours faithfully,

Arthur Pendelton

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

Why this scores well

This response earns Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with sophisticated, cohesive language and maintaining a consistent formal tone throughout. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link their suggestions to specific benefits, resulting in underdeveloped arguments.

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

enhancements: improvements or additions to the quality of something
propose: to formally suggest an idea or plan
demographic: a particular section of the human population
versatile: able to adapt or be used for many functions
fostering: encouraging or promoting the development of something
consideration: careful thought or attention given to a matter

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.