IELTS Sample Letters (IELTS Writing Task 1)
The purpose of this section is to help you with the Writing Task 1 of the IELTS General test.
In Task 1, candidates are asked to respond to a given problem with a letter requesting
information or explaining a situation. It is suggested that about 20 minutes is spent on Task 1,
which requires candidates to write at least 150 words. Depending on the task suggested,
candidates are assessed on their ability to:
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engage in personal correspondence
elicit and provide general factual information
express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
express opinions (views, complaints etc.)
Example 1:
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are studying a short course in another country. Your accommodation was arranged by
the course provider. There is a major problem with the accommodation.
Write a letter to the course provider. In your letter:
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

Say what the problem is.
Describe the accommodation you thought you were getting.
Ask the provider to solve the problem.
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
IELTS Tip
A common problem in GT Task 1 is that candidates use a strange mix of formal and informal
language. In formal letters, they may include inappropriate informalities; in informal letters they
may suddenly be too formal, usually including a memorised chunk. This mix confuses the reader
and affects the candidate’s score in Task Fulfilment.
Related Topic: Writing a letter
Model answer
Dear Mr Watterson,
My name is Andrew Fish, and I am taking an eight-week intensive English course at Oxford
House College. My company is paying for my tuition, and I am using my summer vacation to
study. It is expected I will pass an English Proficiency Test as a result, and be transferred abroad.
Therefore, it is rather important to me that I am able to study in the best environment.
I am staying in Phoenix Hostel on campus. While my room is pleasant and the facilities are very
good, the hostel is extremely noisy. When I organised my accommodation, I was assured I would
be staying only with post-graduate or intensive-course students. However, most of the people in
this hostel are doing summer-school courses due to academic failure, and they are all under 22. It
seems to me they are enjoying one long party: certainly no one observes light out or turns down
music despite being asked to.
I wonder if I may be moved to a hostel which is more conducive to serious study, or I may use
the remainder of my accommodation fee to go towards payment for a hotel.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Fish
(204 words)
Example 2:
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You have seen an advertisement in an English newspaper for a job working in the City
Museum shop during the holidays.
You decide to apply for the job. Write a letter to the director of the Museum. In your
letter:
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
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introduce yourself
explain what experience and special skills you have
explain why you are interested in the job
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
IELTS Tip
Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully can both be used to close formal and semi-formal letters.
Yours faithfully is used when you don't know the name of the person you are writing to.
Related Topic: Writing a letter
Model answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
I’m writing to apply for the holiday job which you advertised recently in the newspaper. I am a
twenty-one-year-old student and I speak English quite well. At present I am in my second year
studying History at Lincoln College and I am very keen to have a holiday job this summer. I am
extremely good at adding up, so I think I would be an asset to your shop.
My term finishes on 5th July and I am free until 20th September. Last year I worked in a
restaurant serving tourists from all over the world and I enjoyed it very much. I would like to
have the opportunity to meet people and practice my English again.
I enjoy going to museums and am particularly keen on history. Last year I went to an exhibition
of Ancient Greek objects which was held in London. I have often been in your museum and am
familiar with the items you have. I do hope you will be interested in my application.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours faithfully,
Dimitris Boudramis
(186 words)
The task will present a situation to you on the question paper. You have to write in the first
person and imagine yourself in the situation given. It is important to remember that a letter is a
form of communication. Formal or semi-formal letters are always written with a particular
purpose in mind.
The purpose is sometimes stressed at the beginning of a letter. (It depends on the type of letter
you are writing as to how much you emphasize your purpose at the start or whether you decide to
leave it to the end of the letter.) However, you do need to open your letter with something that
will be appropriate for the reader and will capture the reader's attention.
It is important that any background you provide on the situation is clear and includes all the
information the reader needs.
It is worth reading the questions several times to make sure you fully understand it, as you will
lose mark if your interpretation of the situation is not correct.
Types of letters
Test may ask you to write only one of 4 types of letters:
• Complaint / Request (of information) letter
• Job application letter
• Personal letter
• Formal business letter
There are rules how to write a letter of each type.
Complaint Structure
This is a letter you write to complain about something. It could be something you have
purchased or a bad service that you have received, or an accident that happened to you. You
must describe it and demand appropriate actions from relevant people.
There are 4 paragraphs in this type of letter. They should look like this:
1. Start with “Dear Sir/Madam,“ (or write person’s name if it was given in task instructions )
Explain shortly (in one or two sentences) what you are complaining about.
“I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the tape recorder that I purchased in your store.”
2. Explain in more details
a) What happened, what the problem is.
“I purchased a tape recorder in your store on 12/3/2005, just 3 days
ago. After a few times that I used it, the “Play” button broke off”.
b) What are you unhappy about.
“I was very surprised to see the new improved model with 2 years of
warranty breaking so soon and for no reason at all.”
c) What did you do to resolve the situation.
“I contacted your store immediately in order to return the tape recorder
and spoke to the shift manager. He refused to replace the tape recorder
and suggested that I had it repaired.”
d)How do you feel about the problem.
“You can imagine how receiving this offer upset me.”
This paragraph should be the longest in the whole letter. You can even divide it into several
parts.
3. Write what you would like them to do, and what will you do if they don’t give you what you
want.
“I insist that you replace the damaged tape recorder and send me a new one. Otherwise I will be
forced to stop my payments to your store”.
4. Write formal ending for the letter, your name and sign.
“I look forward to hearing from you.” If you know the name of person you are writing to, sign
“Yours sincerely,
Mr. Smith”
If you don’t know the name of person you are writing to, sign
“Yours faithfully,
Mr. Smith”