IELTS General Writing Task 1 - Formal Letters Questions
This section presents a list of common IELTS General Writing Task 1 - Formal Letter questions. If you want to prepare for the IELTS Writing Test, these questions are a must study.
You missed an international flight due to a problem at the airport.
Write a letter to the airline. In your letter:
- Describe what happened that caused you to miss your flight
- Explain how missing your flight impacted you
- Clearly state what you would like the airline to do
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Model Essay
Transition words are highlighted in red
Advanced grammar structures are highlighted in green
Topic vocabulary are highlighted in blue
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing in regards to an international flight that I missed due to reasons beyond my control.
For the past two weeks, I have been traveling for business and speaking at international conferences. Unfortunately, I arrived to the Tokyo airport over three hours delayed yesterday afternoon, due to the technical difficulties experienced by one of your company's aircrafts. Consequently, I missed my connecting flight from Tokyo to Madrid, and could not attend the conference.
As a result of the delay, my company had to send another executive to speak at the conference in Madrid. This is not only a major inconvenience on our end, but it is a costly expenditure as well. Additionally, I have had to pay out of pocket for my lodgings in Madrid.
Since the delay was caused by your aircraft, I hope that you will compensate me for the cost of my lodgings in Madrid as well as my additional flight home to Toronto, Canada.
I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Amanda Traynor
Word Count: 174
You and your family are moving to another country for work, and you are looking to buy a house there.
Write a letter to a property agent. In your letter:
- Introduce yourself and your family
- Describe the type of accommodation that you hope to find
- Give your preference for the location of the accommodation
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
To Whom it May Concern,
Model Essay
Transition words are highlighted in red
Advanced grammar structures are highlighted in green
Topic vocabulary are highlighted in blue
To Whom it May Concern,
I am writing to ask for your assistance in finding accommodation in Rome, Italy.
My name is Hannah Roosk, and I will be relocating with my husband and two teenage children. I have recently been promoted at work, which means that I will be based out of Rome instead of Toronto. We are hoping to emigrate at the end of July.
We are interested in buying a small house on the outskirts of Rome. Given the size of our family, we would be interested in a property with at least two floors, three bedrooms, and a detached garage. As we will be bringing our dog, a garden is an important consideration as well.
We would prefer a suburban location within easy commuting distance of the city centre. Most importantly, we would prefer to be within walking distance of the high school that our children will be attending.
I hope that you will be able to help us with our relocation, and I look forward to hearing your response.
Yours faithfully,
Hannah Roosk
Word Count: 177
Question 3:
You and your friends ate a meal at a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, and you were extremely dissatisfied with the experience.
Write a letter to the restaurant manager. In your letter:
- Explain the reason for the celebration
- Give details of your visit to the restaurant
- Say what you would like the restaurant to do
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Question 4:
You and your friends ate a meal at a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, and you were very pleased with the food and service.
Write a letter to the restaurant manager. In your letter:
- Give details of your visit to the restaurant
- Explain the reason for the celebration
- Say what you liked about the food or service
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Question 5:
You are enrolled in a study abroad course in another country. Your accommodation was arranged by the course provider, and there is a major problem with the accommodation.
Write a letter to the course provider. In your letter:
- Introduce yourself and describe the problem
- 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.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mr. Gazeley
Question 6:
You have been invited to attend an admissions interview for a prestigious college. Unfortunately, you cannot come at the proposed time due to a previous appointment.
Write a letter to the admissions tutor and explain your position. In your letter:
- Introduce yourself and state your interest in the program
- Apologize and offer to come at a different time
- Ask how long the interview will be and if you will have to take an exam
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Question 7:
Your local newspaper published an advertisement asking people to offer time for local environmental initiatives in your area.
Write a letter to the project manager to offer your help. In your letter:
- Describe a local volunteer project that you are passionate about
- Explain what you would like to do to help
- Suggest how to gather more support for the cause
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Question 8:
An old car was left on the street near your street several weeks ago. The car is now causing a problem for residents.
Write a letter to the Council. In your letter:
- Describe the car
- Outline the problems it is causing
- Tell the Council what you want them to do about it
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Councilor,
Question 9:
Write a letter to a company asking for a refund for something you bought from them online.
Write a letter to the Customer Service department. In your letter:
- Describe the item you bought
- Outline what the problem is
- Explain why you want a refund
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Question 10:
You have recently returned from an afternoon at your public library, and noticed various negative aspects that could be improved upon.
Write a letter to the manager of the public library. In your letter:
- Describe the poor experience you had
- Include ideas for what the library should change
- Explain why you feel the library needs alteration
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
To Whom This May Concern,
Question 11:
You have a suggestion for a park near your apartment building.
Write a letter to your city's council board. In your letter:
- Describe who you are and what your suggestion is
- Explain why you think this suggestion will improve the park
- Detail when you would like to see this suggestion in action
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Councilor,
Question 12:
You have seen an advertisement in the newspaper for a temporary job working as a Sales Representative during the holiday season. You decide to apply for the job.
Write a letter to the Hiring Manager of the company. In your letter:
- 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.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Hiring Manager,
Question 13:
There have been some problems with public transport in your area recently.
Write a letter to the manager of the transport company. In your letter:
- Describe the problems
- Explain how these problems are affecting the public
- Suggest some changes that could be made
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Question 14:
You were recently impressed by a staff member at a supermarket.
Write a letter to the manager of the supermarket. In your letter:
- Describe the situation
- Explain how you were helped
- State what you are going to do as a result of this good experience
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
To Whom This May Concern,
Question 15:
You experienced a problem while visiting a store in your neighborhood.
Write a letter to the manager of the store. In your letter:
- Describe the problem
- Explain why this problem has upset you
- State what you want to happen as a result of your letter
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Question 16:
Last week, you lost your luggage while traveling on holiday. Luckily, you have travel insurance.
Write a letter to the manager of your insurance company. In your letter:
- Describe the characteristics of what you lost
- Explain how you lost it
- Tell the insurance company what you need from them
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,