General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · application

Letter to Hostel Warden Requesting College Accommodation: 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.
  • 192 words
  • Formal letters
  • Application
  • 20 minutes

The task

You are a college student in an English speaking country. You share a rented apartment with others but want to move to the college accommodation instead.

Write a letter to the teacher in charge of the hostel and explain your intention to move to college accommodation. In your letter:

  • →introduce yourself
  • →give reasons why you are not happy with the current accommodation
  • →explain why you think college accommodation will be better for you

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8192 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally express my interest in securing a place in the college hostel for the upcoming semester. My name is Alex Rivers, and I am currently a second-year Engineering student at the university.

At present, I am renting a room in a shared apartment off-campus. Unfortunately, the living conditions have become increasingly difficult. My housemates frequently host loud gatherings until the early hours, which severely disrupts my ability to focus on my coursework. Furthermore, the commute to the campus takes nearly an hour each way, leaving me with very little time for independent study.

I believe moving into the college accommodation would be significantly more beneficial for my academic progress. Living on campus would provide a quiet environment conducive to learning and grant me immediate access to the library and laboratory facilities. Additionally, the proximity to my lecture halls would eliminate my daily travel stress, allowing me to engage more fully in campus life.

I would appreciate it if you could inform me of the availability of rooms and the necessary steps to complete an application. Thank you for your time and assistance.

Yours faithfully,

Alex Rivers

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 earns a Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with clear, logical development and maintaining a consistently professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific reasons for the dissatisfaction or ignoring the formal structure required for a request to an official.

  • →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

  • securing

    successfully obtaining or achieving something important

  • conducive

    making a certain situation or outcome likely

  • disrupts

    interrupts an event or activity by causing trouble

  • proximity

    the state of being near in distance

  • independent study

    learning done by a student on their own

  • engage

    to participate or become involved in something

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?+

This response earns a Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with clear, logical development and maintaining a consistently professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific reasons for the dissatisfaction or ignoring the formal structure required for a request to an official.

Keep practising

More application letters

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