General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · request

Letter to Student Services requesting a replacement ID card

You have lost your student identification card. This has created some problems for you.

Write a letter to the director of student services. In your letter:

advise them of your situation
explain how this is affecting you
request a new card

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 formally report the loss of my student identification card, which I unfortunately misplaced while commuting to campus yesterday morning. Despite searching my personal belongings and retracing my steps, I have been unable to locate it.

This loss is causing significant disruption to my academic routine. As the library’s automated turnstiles require a valid ID for entry, I have been unable to access the quiet study areas necessary for my upcoming research project. Furthermore, I am currently unable to utilize the campus printing facilities, which is hindering my ability to submit assignments on time.

Could you please advise me on the procedure for obtaining a replacement card? I am happy to pay any associated administrative fees and have already gathered the necessary passport-style photograph for the new document. Please let me know when I might be able to visit your office to finalize the process and collect the card.

Thank you for your prompt assistance with this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Miller

168 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 professional, consistent tone and cohesive paragraph structure. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to explain the specific consequences of the loss, leading to an underdeveloped response that lacks sufficient detail.

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

misplaced: accidentally lost or put in the wrong place
retracing my steps: going back over the path one has taken
disruption: disturbance that interrupts an event or activity
hindering: creating difficulties that result in a delay
associated: connected with or related to something else
prompt: done without delay or immediate in action

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.