Letter to a neighbour requesting items for party

The task

You are organising a surprise birthday party for a friend and need to borrow some items from a neighbour.

Write a letter to your neighbour. In your letter:

→explain the occasion
→say what items you need to borrow
→mention when you will return them

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8167 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I hope you are having a pleasant week. I am currently busy finalising the arrangements for a surprise birthday celebration I am hosting for my close friend, Sarah, this coming Saturday evening.

Since I am expecting about fifteen guests, I find myself slightly short of seating and serving equipment. Would it be possible to borrow four of your folding chairs and your large punch bowl for the night? I know you mentioned recently that you rarely use these items, so I thought it might be acceptable to ask.

I will ensure everything is cleaned thoroughly and brought back to your doorstep by Sunday morning, around 10:00 am. Please do let me know if this causes any inconvenience; I would be happy to make alternative arrangements if you need them that weekend.

Thank you very much for considering my request. It would be wonderful if you could drop by for a slice of cake on Saturday night if you are free.

Best wishes,

Alex Thompson

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.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

The response achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with a consistent, polite semi-formal tone and natural, cohesive language. A common Band 6 error is failing to specify a return time or using overly informal language that is inappropriate for a neighbour one does not know well.

→Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
→Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
→State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

finalising
completing the last steps of a task
arrangements
the plans made for a specific event
serving equipment
utensils or dishes used for presenting food
inconvenience
a situation that causes trouble or difficulty
alternative
a different possibility or option to choose
thoroughly
in a way that is complete and detailed

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

How many words 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.

What does the examiner look for?+

Keep practising

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