General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · request

Letter to airline regarding a lost cabin bag: IELTS formal letter sample

An IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 formal letter with a Band 8 sample answer, why it scores well and the phrases worth borrowing for your own letter writing.
  • 177 words
  • Formal letters
  • Request
  • 20 minutes
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The task

Last Tuesday you flew from New York to Paris. When you arrived home, you discovered that you had left your cabin bag on the plane.

Write a letter to the airline. In your letter:

  • →where and when do you lose your bag
  • →what your bag looks like
  • →what its contents were

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8177 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Customer Service Team,

I am writing to report a cabin bag I inadvertently left behind following my recent journey from New York to Paris on flight AF023 last Tuesday, 14th May. Upon reaching my residence, I realised the item was missing from my possession.

The item is a navy blue Samsonite hard-shell cabin trolley, approximately 55cm in height. It features four multidirectional wheels and a distinctive bright yellow luggage tag attached to the retractable handle, which bears my contact details.

Inside the bag, there are several essential personal items. Specifically, it contains a professional portfolio with confidential project documents, a high-end noise-cancelling headset, and a small pouch of toiletries. These items are of significant importance to me, and I would be extremely grateful if you could check the aircraft’s lost property records at your earliest convenience.

Please let me know the necessary steps to recover this bag or if I need to visit the airport office in person to verify the contents. I look forward to your prompt assistance regarding this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

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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

A Band 8 response fully addresses every bullet point with specific, descriptive details and maintains a consistently professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide enough descriptive detail about the bag's appearance or contents, resulting in an underdeveloped response that lacks the necessary clarity for the airline to assist effectively.

  • →Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
  • →If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
  • →No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

  • inadvertently

    without intention or as an accidental mistake

  • residence

    a person's home or place of living

  • hard-shell

    made with a rigid, protective outer layer

  • retractable

    capable of being drawn back or inside

  • confidential

    intended to be kept secret or private

  • prompt

    done without delay or immediate in action

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

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?+

A Band 8 response fully addresses every bullet point with specific, descriptive details and maintains a consistently professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide enough descriptive detail about the bag's appearance or contents, resulting in an underdeveloped response that lacks the necessary clarity for the airline to assist effectively.

Keep practising

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