General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · request

Letter to manager requesting to present conference findings: IELTS semi-formal letter sample

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

The task

You recently attended a conference and you would like to give a presentation in your office about the information you gained by attending the conference.

Write a letter to your manager asking for permission to give a presentation. In your letter:

  • →describe what type of presentation you have in mind
  • →what topics it would cover and how long it would take
  • →who should participate in the presentation and where should it be conducted

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8151 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to propose a brief session to share the key insights I gathered at the International Marketing Summit held in London last week. I believe the strategies discussed could significantly benefit our current quarterly projects.

I envisage a structured slide-deck presentation followed by an interactive Q&A session. It would cover emerging digital trends and innovative client retention techniques I learned during the workshops. I anticipate the entire session will take approximately forty-five minutes.

I recommend that the core marketing and creative teams participate, as these departments would gain the most from the new methodologies. I suggest we hold this in the main boardroom, as it is equipped with the necessary audio-visual facilities to display the data effectively.

I would appreciate your feedback on this proposal and your availability to attend. Thank you for considering this opportunity to disseminate knowledge across the team.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Smith

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with specific, logical details while maintaining a consistently professional and polite semi-formal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific location or duration, which leaves the request too vague for a manager to approve.

  • →Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
  • →Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
  • →State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

  • insights

    deep understanding or important information about a topic

  • envisage

    to imagine or expect something as a possibility

  • emerging

    becoming apparent, important, or prominent recently

  • methodologies

    a system of methods used in a particular area

  • disseminate

    to spread information or knowledge widely

  • audio-visual

    relating to both hearing and sight equipment

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

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 letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with specific, logical details while maintaining a consistently professional and polite semi-formal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific location or duration, which leaves the request too vague for a manager to approve.

Keep practising

More request letters

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