This lesson is part of our IELTS General Writing Task 1 and 2 guide and the IELTS Writing Task 1 and 2 guide.
A formal letter in IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 is one you write to someone you don't know: a company, an organization, an official. You might be complaining about a service, applying for a job, or asking for information. The examiner expects a polite, businesslike tone from the first line to the sign-off, and slipping into everyday language is one of the quickest ways to lose marks. On this page you'll learn when a letter needs to be formal, how to cover the three bullet points, how to set out your letter, the phrases that get the tone right, and the mistakes to avoid. Then you can study sixteen real formal letter tasks, each with a model letter.
Table Of Contents
- When You'll Write a Formal Letter
- How to Read the Task and Cover All Three Bullet Points
- How to Structure Your Formal Letter
- How to Write a Formal Letter
- Tone and Useful Phrases for Formal Letters
- Common Mistakes in Formal Letters
- What Our Learners' Letters Show
- Practise and Get a Band Score
- IELTS General Writing Task 1 - Formal Letter Questions
When You'll Write a Formal Letter
The task tells you who you're writing to, and that decides the tone. If it's a person or an organization you've never met, your letter is formal. Typical formal tasks ask you to:
- Complain to a company, an airline or a council about a product or a service that went wrong.
- Apply for a job, a course or a volunteer position.
- Request information from a hotel, a college or a government office.
- Make a suggestion to a local newspaper or a town council about an issue in your area.
Look at the opening line the task gives you, too. If it's "Dear Sir or Madam", the letter is formal, and you don't know the reader's name. If the task gives you a name, such as "Dear Mr Brannagan", the letter is usually semi-formal instead.
How to Read the Task and Cover All Three Bullet Points
Every letter task gives you a situation and three bullet points. Those bullet points are your plan, and the examiner checks that you've covered each one. Miss one and your task achievement score is capped, no matter how good your English is.
Give each bullet point its own paragraph, in the same order as the task. Don't just mention it in passing; develop it with a detail or a reason. If a bullet asks you to "explain how the problem affected you", don't stop at "it was very inconvenient". Say what actually happened: you missed a meeting, you had to pay for a hotel, you lost a day's work.
Underline the verb in each bullet before you start (describe, explain, suggest, request). Each one tells you what that paragraph has to do.
How to Structure Your Formal Letter
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Use the opening the task gives you. If you don't know the name, use "Dear Sir or Madam". | Dear Sir or Madam, |
| Opening sentence | Say clearly why you're writing. | I am writing to complain about a delayed flight on 12 March. |
| Body paragraphs | One paragraph for each bullet point, in order. | Describe what happened; explain the effect; state what you want. |
| Closing sentence | Say what you'd like to happen next. | I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. |
| Sign-off | "Yours faithfully" when you didn't use a name. | Yours faithfully, Amanda Traynor |
Use your full name under the sign-off. You don't need to write any addresses or a date, and the task tells you so.
How to Write a Formal Letter
Tone and Useful Phrases for Formal Letters
A formal letter is polite and direct, but never casual. Avoid contractions ("I'm", "don't"), slang and exclamation marks. These phrases help you keep the tone right:
| Purpose | Formal phrases |
|---|---|
| Why you're writing | I am writing to enquire about… / I am writing with regard to… |
| Complaining | I wish to express my dissatisfaction with… / I was disappointed to find that… |
| Requesting | I would be grateful if you could… / Could you please inform me whether… |
| Explaining | This was due to… / As a result, I was unable to… |
| Saying what you want | I would therefore ask that… / I trust that you will… |
| Closing | Thank you for your attention to this matter. / I look forward to your reply. |
Being formal doesn't mean being vague. If you're complaining, say exactly what went wrong and what you expect the company to do about it. A polite but clear request is what earns the higher task achievement band.
Common Mistakes in Formal Letters
- Using contractions or casual words. "I'm really fed up" doesn't belong in a letter to an airline. Write "I am extremely dissatisfied".
- The wrong sign-off. "Dear Sir or Madam" goes with "Yours faithfully". "Best wishes" and "Cheers" are far too informal here.
- Skipping a bullet point. Check all three before you finish. It's the most common reason for a low task achievement score.
- Not stating your purpose. Your first sentence should tell the reader exactly why you're writing.
- Writing fewer than 150 words. Short letters lose marks. Develop each bullet point with a detail.
- Writing addresses or an essay. You don't need addresses, and a letter shouldn't read like an essay with an introduction and a conclusion.
What Our Learners' Letters Show
BestMyTest tutors have scored a large number of General Training letters, and the averages show where letters tend to lose marks. The average bands were 6,2 for task achievement, 6,0 for coherence and cohesion, 5,8 for vocabulary and 5,3 for grammar. Grammatical range and accuracy was the lowest.
Our AI reviews point the same way: Grammatical range and accuracy was the lowest criterion in 94% of the letters it marked. In a formal letter, a clear purpose in the first line and a full paragraph for each bullet point make the biggest difference.
The average letter was 179 words long, and 8% were under 150 words. If your letters run short, add a specific detail to each bullet point rather than repeating yourself.
The corrections our review makes most often in letters are to punctuation, capitalization and spelling. Read your letter through once for those three alone before you finish.
Practise and Get a Band Score
Try one of the sixteen tasks below before you open its model letter. Write it in our IELTS app in 20 minutes and you'll get an instant AI band score with feedback on all four criteria. If your tone or your coverage of the bullet points keeps letting you down, our AI Tutor has letter exercises that focus on exactly those skills.
IELTS General Writing Task 1 - Formal Letter Questions
Here are sixteen common formal letter tasks, each with a model letter. Try writing your own answer first. Then open the model and switch on the highlights to see the transition words, advanced grammar and topic vocabulary that lift its band.
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
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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYour 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerAn 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerWrite 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerThere 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerYou 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,
Practice and View Model AnswerLast 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,
Practice and View Model Answer
The figures on this page come from the BestMyTest IELTS learner performance data, our records of IELTS practice on BestMyTest up to October 2026. That page explains how we measure each figure. Last updated 15 October 2026.