General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · request

Requesting Newspaper Publication for International Social Meetings: 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.
  • 183 words
  • Formal letters
  • Request
  • 20 minutes
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The task

You are about to start social meetings in a particular area where people from different nationalities can take part.

Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper requesting him to publish information about this. In your letter:

  • →what activities you have planned
  • →when the first meeting takes place and where

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8183 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to request your assistance in publicising a new initiative aimed at fostering cultural exchange within our community. We are launching a series of social gatherings designed to connect residents from diverse international backgrounds, and I believe your newspaper would be the ideal platform to reach our target audience.

Our planned activities are diverse, focusing on shared experiences to break down cultural barriers. We intend to host informal 'language exchange' corners, interactive cooking demonstrations featuring traditional recipes, and moderated discussion groups centered on global current affairs. These sessions aim to provide a welcoming space for both long-term residents and newcomers to forge meaningful connections.

We have scheduled our inaugural meeting for Saturday, 25th November, commencing at 2:00 p.m. The event will be hosted at the Oakwood Community Centre on High Street, which offers a central and accessible venue for all attendees.

I would be extremely grateful if you could include an announcement about this project in your upcoming weekend edition. Please let me know if you require any further details to facilitate this publication.

Yours sincerely,

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.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response achieves all criteria by addressing every bullet point with specific, realistic details while maintaining a consistently professional tone. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide a specific location or date, or using overly repetitive sentence structures that lack the sophisticated flow required for higher bands.

  • →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

  • fostering

    encouraging the development of something positive

  • diverse

    showing a great deal of variety

  • inaugural

    marking the beginning or first of a series

  • commencing

    beginning or starting at a specific time

  • facilitate

    making an action or process easier

  • initiative

    a new plan or process to achieve goals

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 achieves all criteria by addressing every bullet point with specific, realistic details while maintaining a consistently professional tone. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide a specific location or date, or using overly repetitive sentence structures that lack the sophisticated flow required for higher bands.

Keep practising

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