Structure and tone
How to write an IELTS request letter
The tone comes from the reader, not the purpose. In this set: 55 formal, 31 semi-formal, 17 informal.
The outline every sample here follows
- 1.Salutation: Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname. Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.
- 2.Opening: State the purpose of the letter in the first one or two sentences.
- 3.Body: One paragraph per bullet point, in the order given, each with a specific detail (a date, a name, a reason).
- 4.Closing line: Close with the action you want: I would appreciate a reply by Friday, or Let me know when you are free.
- 5.Sign-off: A sign-off that matches the salutation, then your name.
1 to 60 of 103
All IELTS request letter samples
- Accommodation Request Letter to UK College Admissions OfficeYou are going to study at a college in the UK next year. You would like to stay in a college Hall of Residence.formal · request
- Booking Request for Local Community Hall EventYou are planning to hold a community event and need to book a local hall.formal · request
- Formal Letter Requesting an Office TransferYou would like to work in a different city to be closer to your family.formal · request
- Formal Letter to Bank Manager Requesting Emergency LoanAs an international student in Sweden, you have an account with a local bank. The monthly bank transfer you receive from your parents has been delayed this month due to an error at your parents' bank.formal · request
- Formal Letter to Manager Requesting Reduced Working HoursYou would like to reduce your working hours in order to study part time.semi-formal · request
- Formal Letter to Manager Requesting Study LeaveYou are studying for a qualification, and you would like some time off work to complete it.semi-formal · request
- Formal request for annual leave to managerYou need to take some time off from work to go on holiday.semi-formal · request
- Formal request for room relocation to Accommodation OfficerYou live in a room in a college where you share it with another student. You find it very difficult to study and work there because your roommate always has friends visiting. He/she has parties in the room and sometimes borrows your things without asking you.formal · request
- Formal request to Human Resources for remote workYour employer has recently allowed some employees to work remotely from home. You would also like to work from home.formal · request
- Formal request to manager for leave of absenceYou work in an international company.semi-formal · request
- Formal Request to the Head of Department for Course TransferYou are not happy with the course you are doing at college and would like to change to a different course.formal · request
- Inquiry to car hire company regarding accessible vehicleYou are going on holiday and you would like to hire a car. One of your parties is in a wheelchair.formal · request
- Letter to a Bookstore Manager Requesting a Specific BookYou want to buy a book and you have found the book in a bookshop.formal · request
- Letter to a friend about a lost walletYou have just spent a week with a friend on holiday. When you get home, you realize you have left your wallet there.informal · request
- Letter to a friend asking for computer helpYou recently bought a new computer but are having some trouble setting it up.informal · request
- Letter to a friend asking for help with eventYou are preparing an event in the countryside.informal · request
- Letter to a friend asking for language learning adviceYou are currently trying to improve your knowledge of a language which is not your first language. You have a friend who speaks this language fluently. You have decided to write to this friend.informal · request
- Letter to a friend regarding a forgotten coatYou have just spent a weekend at a friend's house. When you returned home, you discovered you had left a coat containing some belongings in his house.informal · request
- Letter to a friend regarding a lost watchYou stayed at a friend's house last weekend and lost your watch.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a borrowed bookA year ago, you lent your favourite book to a friend who you thought would enjoy it. Unfortunately, your friend has forgotten to return it. The book has sentimental value to you as it had been presented by your grandmother.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a document translationYou have received an important document in a foreign language and you need it translated quickly. One of your friends knows this language.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a holiday photographYou recently went on a trip with a friend and you both took some photographs.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a lost bookYou left your book at a friend's home and you want him to send it back.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a lost fileYou stayed at your friend's house when you participated in a business seminar in Australia. You left a file with important documents in the room you stayed in.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting help finding workYou are going to another country to study. You would like to do a part-time job while you are studying, so you want to ask a friend who lives there for some help.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting help for eventYou are preparing an outdoor event.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting party assistanceYou are organizing a surprise anniversary party for your parents.informal · request
- Letter to a friend visiting my foreign cityYou are living in a city in a foreign country, and a friend from your home country is coming to the same city soon for several days.informal · request
- Letter to a Hall Owner Requesting Rental SpaceYou and some of your friends want to start a weekly dance club, and you have found a hall that would be suitable to hold your meetings.formal · request
- Letter to a Hotel Manager Regarding Lost DocumentsYou recently attended a meeting at a hotel. When you returned home, you found you had left some important papers at the hotel.formal · request
- Letter to a Hotel Manager regarding lost propertyYou have just spent a weekend staying at the Lilo Hotel in Adelaide. When you get home you find that you have left a bag at the hotel.formal · request
- Letter to a Hotel Manager regarding lost property (details of your stay)You Recently Went on A Business Trip and Stayed in A Hotel. On Getting Home, You realize You Left Some Things at the Hotel.formal · request
- Letter to a Hotel Manager Requesting Private RoomYou are going to have a family party in a private room in a hotel.formal · request
- Letter to a local business requesting team sponsorshipYou want a local business to sponsor your sports team.formal · request
- Letter to a local shop requesting specific itemsYou live near a record shop that sells music, movies, and books.formal · request
- Letter to a local tutor requesting language lessonsYou want to learn a language. A teacher who teaches this language lives near the area where you live.formal · request
- Letter to a manager requesting time off workYou are working for a company. You need to take some time off work and want to ask your manager about this.semi-formal · request
- Letter to a neighbor requesting mail collection servicesYou are going on holiday and need someone to collect your mail.semi-formal · request
- Letter to a neighbour requesting items for partyYou are organising a surprise birthday party for a friend and need to borrow some items from a neighbour.semi-formal · request
- Letter to a new neighbour regarding a missing binA new neighbour has moved in next door and has taken your main rubbish bin.semi-formal · request
- Letter to a relative asking for accommodationYou are planning a short visit to a city where one of your relatives lives.informal · request
- Letter to a teacher requesting a progress meetingYou want to discuss your child's progress at school.semi-formal · request
- Letter to Accommodation Officer regarding college course stayYou are going on a short course to a training college abroad. It is a college that you have not been to before.formal · request
- Letter to accommodation officer regarding shared room issuesYou live in a room in college which you share with another student. However, there are many problems with this arrangement and you find it very difficult to work.formal · request
- Letter to Accommodation Officer Requesting Short-term College HousingYou are going on a short training course at a college in Greenmount, Northern Ireland. You need somewhere to live while you are there.formal · request
- Letter to accommodation officer requesting student housing assistanceYou are going to study at a college in another country. You need to find a place to live.formal · request
- Letter to airline regarding a lost cabin bagLast Tuesday you flew from New York to Paris. When you arrived home, you discovered that you had left your cabin bag on the plane.formal · request
- Letter to airline regarding lost hand luggageLast Wednesday you flew from London to Vancouver. When you arrived home, you discovered that you had left your hand luggage on the plane.formal · request
- Letter to Airline Reporting Lost Item on FlightLast week you were on a flight to London. Unfortunately, when you left the plane, you left a bag. You did not remember about the bag until you got to your hotel.formal · request
- Letter to airline requesting flight date changeYou have bought an airline ticket, but for some reason, you will not be able to travel on the day scheduled.formal · request
- Letter to an Employer Requesting Interview ReschedulingYou were supposed to go on an interview in a few weeks, but you have since found out you cannot go on the date arranged.formal · request
- Letter to Bus Company Manager Regarding Lost DocumentsYou have accidentally missed some important papers on a bus.formal · request
- Letter to College Director Requesting Academic DocumentsLast year you attended a presentation skill course at the Sydney College of Australia. Your new employer has asked you to provide copies of your reports and assignments as quickly as possible.formal · request
- Letter to College Principal Requesting Duplicate Course CertificateYour company has sent you to an English-speaking country to do a course. You have finished it and got a certificate which unfortunately you have lost.formal · request
- Letter to College Principal Requesting Leave of AbsenceYou are currently taking a course at a college but you will need to have a week off during this course.formal · request
- Letter to College Principal Requesting Replacement CertificateYour company has sent you for a course abroad, and you got a certificate there, but you somehow lost it.formal · request
- Letter to college professor regarding course withdrawalYou find that your study load is too heavy.formal · request
- Letter to community center manager requesting event spaceYou want to organize an event for your community.formal · request
- Letter to Community Hall Manager regarding practice spaceYou are part of a group of musicians who meet on Tuesday and Friday evenings to practice in the community hall. You have been told, however, that it is no longer possible for the group to use the hall.formal · request
- Letter to Council Director regarding public park improvementsYou are a regular visitor to your local public park, but you have noticed that some areas and facilities need improvement.formal · request
Frequently asked questions
Should an IELTS request letter be formal or informal?+
It depends on who you are writing to, not on the purpose. Of the 103 request letters here, 55 formal, 31 semi-formal, 17 informal. From the reader named in the prompt. An unnamed organisation or official is formal; a named person you deal with professionally is semi-formal; a friend or family member is informal.
How should I structure an IELTS request letter?+
Open with the purpose in one sentence, then one paragraph per bullet point in the order given. Close with the action you want: I would appreciate a reply by Friday, or Let me know when you are free.
How many words and how long for the letter?+
At least 150 words in about 20 minutes; 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Leave 40 minutes for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.
How is the letter scored?+
Scored on task achievement (purpose clear, all bullets covered, tone consistent), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Task 1 is worth half of Task 2.
Keep going
Other IELTS letter types
- Formal letters · 266
- Semi-Formal letters · 88
- Informal letters · 129
- Complaint letters · 118
- Information letters · 67
- Application letters · 42
- Apology letters · 31
- Advice letters · 28
- Arrangement letters · 25
- Invitation letters · 19
- Thank-You letters · 15
- Landlord letters · 20
- All IELTS letter samples
- IELTS General Training writing practice
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