IELTS Formal Letter: Letter to an agency requesting long-term rental accommodation

The task

You will go to a foreign country to stay there for one year, and you need a place to live in. You have decided to write to an agency for accommodation.

Write a letter to the agency to get information about accommodation. In your letter:

→why are you going to this country?
→what kind of accommodation do you want?
→when you arrive?

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8173 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to express my interest in securing a long-term rental property through your agency as I prepare for an upcoming relocation. My company has transferred me to Manchester for a one-year project, and I am currently seeking suitable housing.

Regarding my requirements, I am looking for a furnished one-bedroom apartment situated within a reasonable commuting distance of the city centre. A quiet neighbourhood with reliable access to public transport is a priority for me. Additionally, I would appreciate a property that includes high-speed internet connectivity, as I will occasionally be working from home.

I am scheduled to arrive in Manchester on 15 September. Consequently, I would ideally like to arrange viewings for the following day to finalise my living arrangements as soon as possible. Please let me know if you have any listings that align with these specifications and whether you require any further documentation from my employer to process a potential application.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

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

This response achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with specific, coherent details and maintaining an appropriately professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide specific dates or clear preferences, resulting in a vague request that lacks necessary actionable information for the agent.

→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

relocation
the act of moving to a new place
securing
obtaining or achieving something with some effort
commuting distance
a distance that is easy to travel daily
specifications
detailed descriptions of requirements or desired features
align
to be in agreement or match something else
earliest convenience
at the first possible time that is suitable

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?+

Keep practising

More giving information letters

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