General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · making arrangements

Letter to restaurant manager booking a celebration

You want to celebrate a special occasion at a local restaurant.

Write a letter to the restaurant manager. In your letter:

request to book a table for a specific date and time
state the number of people attending
mention any specific dietary requirements

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to arrange a dinner reservation at your establishment to celebrate my parents' fortieth wedding anniversary. We have heard excellent reviews regarding your cuisine and would be delighted to host our family gathering at your restaurant.

I would like to request a table for the evening of Saturday, 15th June, at 7:30 pm. We require a private or semi-private area if possible, as we would like to give a short speech during the meal.

There will be eight adults in our party. As this is a significant milestone, a table with a pleasant view of the garden would be greatly appreciated to enhance the celebratory atmosphere.

Regarding dietary requirements, two of our guests have severe nut allergies, and one requires a strictly vegan menu. Please ensure that the kitchen is informed of these restrictions to prevent any risk of cross-contamination. Could you please confirm if you can accommodate these requests or if you require further details?

I look forward to your positive response and to enjoying a memorable evening at your restaurant.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

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

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with specific, natural details and maintaining a consistently professional, formal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific dietary details, instead using vague phrasing like 'some people have food issues' without explaining the nature of the requirements.

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

establishment: a business organization or a public institution
milestone: a significant event or stage in life
accommodate: to provide what is needed or wanted
cross-contamination: unintentional transfer of allergens between food items
celebratory: relating to a party or special event
cuisine: a style or method of cooking food

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.