General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · thanks

Letter to manager praising excellent staff support

You recently visited a tourist attraction and you were very pleased with the help given to you by the staff.

Write a letter to the head of staff at the tourist attraction. In your letter:

give details of the circumstances of your visit
describe the help given to you by the staff
say what you want the head staff to do

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 express my sincere appreciation for the exceptional service my family and I received during our visit to the Maritime Museum last Saturday, 12th October.

We arrived during a particularly busy afternoon, and my elderly father, who has limited mobility, struggled significantly with the stairs near the main exhibit. We were feeling quite overwhelmed until two of your staff members, Sarah and James, immediately stepped in to assist us. They not only provided a wheelchair but also took the time to guide us through an accessible route, ensuring we could enjoy the displays comfortably without any further physical strain.

Their professionalism and genuine kindness transformed what could have been a distressing experience into a memorable highlight of our trip. It is rare to encounter such proactive and compassionate service in a public venue.

I would be very grateful if you could formally commend both Sarah and James for their outstanding dedication. Recognising their efforts would be well-deserved, and I hope you can share my gratitude with them personally.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Miller

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a sophisticated, consistent tone and precise vocabulary. A common Band 6 error is failing to specify exactly what the writer wants the manager to do, or using overly casual language that undermines the formal tone.

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

exceptional: unusually good and far better than others
limited mobility: difficulty moving around or walking freely
overwhelmed: feeling unable to cope with a situation
proactive: taking action before a problem becomes serious
commend: to praise someone formally for an achievement
outstanding: clearly better or greater than what is usual

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.