General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · giving information

Letter to music club requesting course information: 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.
  • 167 words
  • Formal letters
  • Giving information
  • 20 minutes

The task

You're interested in a music course that you saw in an advertisement.

Write a letter to the club. In your letter:

  • →explain why you're interested?
  • →request more information about the course
  • →talk about your past experiences?

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8167 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Admissions Team,

I am writing to express my keen interest in the Advanced Jazz Piano course advertised in the latest edition of the City Arts Magazine. Having followed your club’s performances for some time, I am eager to refine my technical skills under your guidance.

Could you please provide further details regarding the course structure and the exact duration of the weekly sessions? I would also appreciate information concerning the tuition fees and whether there are any specific requirements for enrolment, such as a formal audition or a proficiency assessment.

Regarding my background, I have been playing the piano for over a decade, primarily focusing on classical compositions. Recently, I have transitioned into jazz improvisation and have performed at several local venues as part of a small ensemble. I believe this course would be the ideal environment to bridge the gap between my classical training and my growing passion for jazz.

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

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.

Write a letter, get a band free →

Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with specific, coherent details and maintaining an appropriately professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide enough personal detail about past experiences, often resulting in a letter that is too brief or lacks natural flow.

  • →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

  • keen interest

    a strong desire or enthusiasm for something

  • refine

    to improve something by making small changes

  • enrolment

    the process of officially joining a course

  • proficiency assessment

    a test to check how good someone is

  • transitioned

    changed from one state or style to another

  • earliest convenience

    as soon as it is easy for you

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 letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with specific, coherent details and maintaining an appropriately professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide enough personal detail about past experiences, often resulting in a letter that is too brief or lacks natural flow.

Keep practising

More giving information letters

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Write a letter, get a band free