General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · request

Letter to gym manager regarding a lost 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.
  • 202 words
  • Formal letters
  • Request
  • 20 minutes

The task

You forget your bag in the gym and the gym management announced that it will be closed for a week for some renovation work. You need your bag as it has important things in it.

Write a letter to the manager of the gym. In your letter:

  • →introduce yourself and describe your position
  • →give them a description of your bag
  • →tell them what you want them to do

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8202 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am a regular member of your fitness centre, training primarily in the weights area during the early morning sessions. I am writing to you because I accidentally left my sports bag behind after my workout yesterday morning, just before the facility closed for the scheduled week-long renovations.

My bag is a medium-sized, navy blue Nike duffel with a prominent white logo on the side. It features a separate compartment at the bottom for footwear and has a distinctive neon-orange luggage tag attached to the shoulder strap. Inside, you will find my gym clothes, a water bottle, and, most importantly, my wallet containing my identification cards and office access pass.

Given that the gym will be inaccessible until next week, I am extremely concerned about the security of these personal belongings. Could you please check the lost property area or the locker rooms to see if it was recovered by your staff? If it has been located, would it be possible to arrange a time for me to collect it, or perhaps have it stored in a secure office area until operations resume? I would be most grateful for your prompt assistance in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Miller

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 bullet points with specific, vivid details while maintaining a consistently professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide a clear description of the bag or simply stating 'I lost my bag' without explaining why it is urgent to retrieve it.

  • →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

  • prominent

    standing out so as to be easily seen

  • distinctive

    characteristic of one person or thing specifically

  • inaccessible

    unable to be reached or entered easily

  • recovered

    found again after being lost or stolen

  • prompt

    done without delay or acting very quickly

  • resumes

    begins again or continues after a pause

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 clearly addresses all bullet points with specific, vivid details while maintaining a consistently professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide a clear description of the bag or simply stating 'I lost my bag' without explaining why it is urgent to retrieve it.

Keep practising

More request letters

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