IELTS Formal Letter: Letter to an Editor Correcting Inaccurate Article Information

The task

You are living overseas and you have just come across an article about your country in a magazine where some of the information is incorrect.

Write a letter to the editor. In your letter:

→explain that an article contains wrong information
→supply the correct information instead
→provide some more interesting information for the editor to publish in the future

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8178 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Editor,

I am writing regarding the article titled 'The Hidden Gems of Vietnam' published in your October edition, as I feel compelled to address several inaccuracies concerning my home country.

While I appreciate your magazine’s interest in Southeast Asian travel, the section describing the transport infrastructure in Da Lat is factually incorrect. The article claims that the regional airport has been closed for renovations since 2022; however, I can confirm that the facility has been fully operational and serving daily domestic flights for over eighteen months. Relying on outdated information could significantly inconvenience your readers.

To provide more accurate content for future issues, perhaps you might consider highlighting the recent expansion of the eco-tourism sector in the Central Highlands. There is a burgeoning community of sustainable coffee farmers who now offer immersive 'farm-to-cup' experiences, which would likely intrigue your audience far more than outdated transport logistics.

I trust you will issue a correction in your next publication to ensure your readers have reliable travel advice. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Julian Thorne

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

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a professional, consistent tone and precise vocabulary. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide the specific 'interesting information' requested, often giving vague suggestions rather than concrete, relevant examples.

→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

compelled
feeling forced or required to take an action
inaccuracies
details that are not factually correct or true
operational
in a state of working or functioning correctly
burgeoning
beginning to grow or increase in size rapidly
immersive
providing an experience that completely involves the senses
logistics
the practical details of organizing a complex operation

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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