General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · making arrangements

Letter to Restaurant Manager Booking a Graduation Party: 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.
  • 188 words
  • Formal letters
  • Making arrangements
  • 20 minutes
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The task

You are organising a graduation party for your class and you want to book a restaurant.

Write a letter to the manager of your favourite restaurant. In your letter:

  • →explain the reason for the party and the date and time it will be held
  • →describe some particular food you would like to be served
  • →say how many people will be attending and what their dietary requirements are

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8188 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to enquire about hosting a graduation party at your establishment for my university cohort. We are celebrating the successful completion of our degree programme and would like to reserve your venue for the evening of Friday, 12th July, from 7:00 pm until 11:00 pm.

Regarding the catering, we would prefer a buffet-style service. We particularly enjoyed the Mediterranean-inspired dishes during our previous visits, so we would like to include a selection of mezze platters, roasted vegetable skewers, and your signature herb-crusted salmon. Please let me know if these options are feasible for a group of this size.

We anticipate approximately 35 guests attending the celebration. It is important to note that among our group, there are three guests with severe nut allergies and two individuals who require strictly vegan options. Could you please confirm if your kitchen staff can accommodate these dietary restrictions safely to avoid any cross-contamination?

I look forward to hearing whether you can accommodate our request and receiving a quote for the evening. Thank you for your time and assistance in making this event memorable.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Thorne

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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 fully addresses all bullet points with professional, cohesive language and a consistently formal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific details for the dietary requirements or the food selection, resulting in a vague response that does not fully meet the task requirements.

  • →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

  • enquire

    to ask for information about something

  • cohort

    a group of people with a shared characteristic

  • feasible

    possible to do easily or conveniently

  • anticipate

    to expect or predict that something will happen

  • cross-contamination

    the accidental transfer of allergens between food items

  • accommodate

    to provide what is needed for a request

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 fully addresses all bullet points with professional, cohesive language and a consistently formal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific details for the dietary requirements or the food selection, resulting in a vague response that does not fully meet the task requirements.

Keep practising

More making arrangements letters

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