Below, you will see eleven common situations that people encounter when they

are writing a formal letter. Choose the sentence or phrase (A, B or C) that would be
most appropriate in each situation.
1) You are writing a letter to the headteacher of a school or college, but you don't know their
name. How do you begin your letter?

Dear headteacher,

Dear Sir/Madam,

Dear Sir,

2) You have received a letter from the manager of a company which buys computer
components from your company, and you are now replying. What do you say?

Thank you for your letter.

Thanks a lot for your letter.

It was great to hear from you.

3) You recently stayed in a hotel and were very unhappy with the service you received. You
are now writing to the manager. What do you say?
A

I had a horrible time at your hotel recently.

I would like to say that I am unhappy about your hotel.

I would like to complain about the service I received at your hotel recently.

4) You have sent a letter of application to a college, together with your curriculum vitae which
the college requested. What do you say in the letter to explain that your curriculum vitae is
attached?
A

You asked for my curriculum vitae, so here it is.

As you can see, I've enclosed my curriculum vitae.

As you requested, I enclose my curriculum vitae.

5) You have applied for a job, but you would like the company to send you more information.
What do you say?
A

I would be grateful if you would send me more information.

I want you to send me more information.

Send me some more information, if you don't mind.

6) In a letter you have written to a company, you tell them that you expect them to reply. What
do you say?

Write back to me soon, please.

Please drop me a line soon.

l look forward to hearing from you soon.

7) In a letter you have written, you want the recipient to do something and are thanking them
in advance of their action. What do you say?
A

Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Thanks for doing something about it.

I am gratified that you will take appropriate action.

8) The company you work for has received an order from another company and you are
writing to them to acknowledge the order and let them know when you can deliver. What do
you say?
A

About the order you sent on 12 January for...

I would like to remind you of the order you sent on 12 January for...

Refer to your order of 12 January.

9) In a letter, you explain that the recipient can contact you if they want more information.
What do you say?
A
B

Give me a call if you want some more information.

If you would like any more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you would like any more information, why not get in touch?

10) You began a letter with the recipient's name (e.g., Dear Mr. Perrin). How do you end the
letter?

Yours faithfully.

Yours sincerely.

Best wishes.

11) You did not begin the letter with the recipient's name (see number 1 above). How do you
end the letter?

Yours faithfully.

Yours sincerely.

Best wishes.

Show Answers - Hide Answers

Look at these sentences and decide if they are true or false.

1) Formal letters are always longer than informal letters.
a. False. Formal letters should be as brief and to the point as possible
2) In a formal letter it is acceptable to use colloquial English, slang and idioms.
a. False.
3) In a formal letter it is acceptable to use contractions (e.g., I've instead of I have).
a. False.
4) In a formal letter you should include your name and address at the top of the page.
a. False. It is not necessary to include your name
5) In a formal letter, you should always write the date in full (e.g., 1 April 2000 and not 1/4/00).
a. True (In some countries, writing abbreviated dates could be confusing. In Britain,
1/4/00 is the 1 April. In the USA it is the 4 January).

6) In a formal letter, you should always put your full name (e.g., James Harcourt and not J.
Harcourt) after your signature at the bottom of the letter.
a. True.
7) Formal letters do not need to be broken into paragraphs. It is acceptable to write them as
one continuous paragraph.
a. False. (A letter which is not broken into paragraphs can be difficult and confusing to
read. You should have at least three paragraphs: Paragraph 1: explaining why you are
writing. Paragraph 2+: details. Final paragraph: action to be taken - e.g., 'I look forward
to hearing from you soon')

IELTS Letter: Bad service at a shop

You recently had your computer fixed at the local computer store
however you are not pleased with the service you received.
Write a letter to the store manager. In the letter
- describe the situation
- explain why you are dissatisfied
- say what you want the manager to do
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
This task was taken from the Scott's English Success web-site.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the service I received at your
establishment.
Actually, the computer I have bought at your store on the late January was
quite good, however after just half a year things got wrong. Some programs
were getting frozen frequently. When I took my computer to your specialist and
tried to explain the problem to the technician Michaels, he refused to take my
computer into service because the problem did not appear that time. I was
trying to convince him to spend more time to identify the reason it is getting
stuck, but he was rude and impatient explaining this is the end of his shift. On
the next day another technician listened to me carefully and fixed my computer
in 10 minutes.
I suppose your employee Michaels is not suitable for his position because of

his unprofessionalism. I suggest you to employ someone more skilled and

with better personality in order not to cause your customers to loose their time
like me.
Faithfully yours,
Anna Frank
177 words
Expected IELTS Band - 6-6.5

==========================================================

IELTS Letter: Some problems at work

You recently took a part-time job working for a local company. After a
few weeks you realised there were some problems with the job.
Write a letter to the manager of the company. In your letter
- explain why you took the job
- describe the problems that you experienced
- suggest what could be done about them.
This task was taken from the book Insight into IELTS Extra, with Answers: The
Cambridge IELTS Course Workbook (Cambridge Books for Cambridge
Exams) by Vanessa Jakeman, Clare McDowell
Dear Mr. Thompson,
I am a part-time call-centre operator at your company, started working about 4
weeks ago. I am writing to indicate the problem I encountered during my work.
Actually, I decided to took the position of a telesales specialist because
consider myself able to develop a career in sales due to my skill of
establishing good contact with people and make them trust me. However, I
realised there are some obstacles on a way to success.
The problems started 3 weeks ago then the system administrator updated my
software. At the time of a call I was querying a customer for his personal data
then suddenly my computer reloaded and this persons profile was lost. This

situation repeated in the future for several times. I asked the system
administrator to solve this problem, but he told me this is solely my fault and
my computer skills are below required to use this program.
I am assured the complete situation makes company profits lower. I believe
that software managing specialist could fix the problem if the initiative would
be taken by a senior manager of your rank.
Sincerely yours,
Anna Frank
192 words
Expected IELTS Band - 7

========================================================

IELTS letter: Damaged suitcase

You travelled by long distance bus recently and your suitcase was
damaged.
Write a letter to the bus company. In your letter
- inform the bus company of when and to where you travelled
- describe your suitcase and what happened to it
- explain why the company should pay for a new suitcase
This task was taken from the book IELTS on Track: Test Practice General
Training.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to require a compensation for the property damage, taken place
at the time of the travelling by the bus of your company.
I travelled from Washington, D.C. to Boston by the bus #301 on February 21,
2007. Before the trip I passed my luggage to the driver, who helped me to
place my suitcase in the luggage compartment of the bus. After arrival the
driver opened this back compartment and the first thing I saw was that my
new and brand-name suitcase was smashed under the pressure of the weight
of the others luggage.

My suitcase was quite firm and very beautiful in its red colour and modern
design. However it obviously hasnt been designed to resist such a weight on
it. I am very depressed because I can not use anymore my broken suitcase,
its handle was bended and two wheels out of 4 were detached.
Since damage stated above was caused by the careless actions of your
employee, I would like to require a compensation of $200, which was the
original price of my suitcase. Please, deliver a cheque to the address, written
above.
Faithfully yours,
Anna Frank
========================================================

IELTS Letter: Homestay in a New Zealand family

You are going to visit New Zealand for an 'English and Homestay'
program. You have just received details of your homestay host family.
Write your first letter to the family. In your letter
- introduce yourself
- ask the family some questions to get information that is important to
you
- tell the family about your arrival date and time.
This task was taken from the book IELTS on Track: Test Practice General
Training.
Dear Mr Jones,
I have just received details of my future homestay at your family and writing to
introduce myself and ask for some further information.
My name is Anna Frank, I am 21 and live with my family in Lyon, France,
which is my hometown. My native language is French and I am looking
forward to improving my English during the trip to New Zealand.
I would be grateful if you could provide more information about your family and
its lifestyle. To begin with, I would like to ask you about your usual diet. It is

very important to me since I am a vegetarian. Secondly, I would like to learn

more about your familys day routines, like games you used to play together, in
order to get familiar with these activities while I am here. This could help me to
participate in all your routines like a relative.
I am very eager to meet you in person! By the way, I have already bought the
plane ticket and would be happy if you could meet me at the airport because
this will be my first time abroad. I will arrive on September 13, at 10 am,
Wellington time.
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely yours,
Anna Frank
===========================================================

IELTS Letter: Unable to attend a course

You are employed full-time and also doing a part time evening course.
You are not able to continue the course.
Write a letter to the course lecturer. In the letter
- explain why you cannot continue the course
- describe the situation
- say what you will be doing
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear .,
This task was taken from the Scott's English Success web-site.
Dear Dr. Jones,
I am writing to inform you that I no longer have a possibility to attend your
evening lectures on treating emergencies.
As I told you earlier, I received a position of a nurse at the Thompson Hospital.
My shift ends at 5 pm and since I have got a lot of overtime job recently, I
found myself unable to be on time at your lectures, which start at 5.30 pm.

This disappoints me a lot since I value and respect your course and your
experience.
I would be grateful if you could consider letting me to study your course
myself. Because of my job is closely related to the accidents treatment, I feel
able to learn every point of the course in practice. In addition, I have already
read almost every book you recommended as the supplementary reading for
your lectures.
I hope to get your approval on this matter soon. I am looking forward to
receiving your response.
Sincerely yours,
Anna Frank
=========================================================

IELTS Letter: Local club membership cancellation

For the past year you have been a member of a local club. Now you want
to discontinue your membership.
Write a letter to the club secretary. In your letter
- state what type of membership you have and how you have paid for
this;
- give details of how you have benefited from the club;
- explain why you want to leave.
This task was taken from the book Insight into IELTS Extra, with Answers: The
Cambridge IELTS Course Workbook (Cambridge Books for Cambridge
Exams) by Vanessa Jakeman, Clare McDowell
Dear Mr. Jones,
I regret to inform you that I have to discontinue my membership at your
Golden Hook Fishing Club.
I joined the Club 1 year ago and the benefits from the participation exceeded
the fee. Round tables and lectures of famous fishermen were absolutely
brilliant. Moreover, discounts on the equipment in sports gear shops helped
me to save money. The last but not the least, your monthly illustrated

magazine was a precious treat to me.

Unfortunately I have to move to another country because my father, living in
France, is in a desperate health condition. I must acknowledge that continuing
the membership in your Club is no longer an option to me.
I have paid the last year fee by my credit card and its details are in your
database. Because of stated above I would like to ask you not to charge me
for the following year. I hope that in the future I will have an opportunity to
recommence having advantages of participation in your Club.
Sincerely yours,
Anna Frank

IELTS letter: Apologizing for the noise

Your neighbours have recently written to you to complain about the
noise from your houseflat.
Write a letter to your neighbours. In your letter
explain the reasons for the noise
apologise
describe what action you will take

Dear Mr Jones,
I am writing in response to your letter, complaining about the sounds my
musical instrument is producing. I feel that I have to explain myself and
humbly ask for your forgiveness.
Actually, I am a student of the North Carolina Arts College and as a part of my
end of term exams I have to perform 4 plays by flute. Therefore I have to
reherse every day because I am eager to make a good impression to my

teachers. To achieve my goal I am supposed to play about 3 hours a day.

I must apologize for playing in inappropriate hours. It was all my fault since I
did not bother reading the rules of our house owner, prohibiting playing
musical instruments.
I have consulted with my class teacher and he suggested me to use one of
the rooms of the college to reherse for a small fee. I assure you by no means
will be disturbed again with the noise from my appartment.
I beg for your understanding and forgiveness. Please, accept this box of
chocolate as a token of my appreciation for not giving this problem a legal
action.
Yours sincerely,
S=========================================================================
==

IELTS letter: Bad meal in a restaurant

You took your family to a near-by restaurant. You were disappointed with the
meal and wish to complain to the manager.
Write a letter to the manager of the restaurant. In the letter
- explain why you were at the restaurant
- describe the problems
- write about the action you want the manager to take
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Dear Sir or Madam,
On July 15th my family and I visited your establishment to have a traditional
celebration of my sisters birthday. Since she lives in France we annually go to this
restaurant, because we always considered it as the most classy French cuisine
place. Having the onion soup there is also our family tradition because my sister
loved it very much before her moving to France. I suppose, you can imagine our
disappointment when we found the onion soup absolutely inedible last time. Firstly, it
was cold. Secondly, it seemed your chef did not stir it well while cooking, so there
were some clogs of flour. The last but not the least, its taste made us to suggest that
the cook used artificial instant soup base. We asked our waitress about the reasons
soup is so awful and she told the cook of current shift has changed and this is the
vision of the soup of the new one.
It is highly unlikely this new chef with his vision is suitable for such famous restaurant

as yours. I recommend changing or sending him to training in order your customers

could further enjoy genuine French cuisine.
Faithfully yours,
Anna Frank

===========================================================

You are a student at an English language school in Brighton and are living in private
accommodation with other flat mates. You have not had hot water or heating for some
time. The landlords workmen have tried to fix the problem but without success.
Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:

state your reason for writing

describe the problems and explain how you feel

propose a solution and risk the landlord to take action

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Grammar Tip
Note that the phrasal verb to look forward is always followed by to + ing: I am looking
forward to seeing you soon. In formal letters we use the simple present tense rather than
the present continuous: We look forward to hearing from you.

Model answer
Dear Mr. Jones,
I am one of the tenants at your property in Upper Lewes Road, and am writing to complain
about the fact that we do not have any hot water or heating in our house.
As you know, we have been living in this house since September and have always paid our
rent on time. However, we have had no hot water for last two weeks. This is making our lives
very difficult, especially as it is now the middle of winter. Last week you said you would send a
workman to our house within 3 days, but no one came. After calling many times, the workman
eventually arrived at the house 5 days later. Unfortunately, he said he could not fix the
problem because the boiler was too old! We are now extremely unhappy about this solution.
We are prepared to continue to rent your house but please arrange for emergency repairs to
be made. We also request a 40% discount on our rent for the period we have been without
any hot water or heating.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Shannon Brown

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are due to move into a rented apartment next month but you will not be able to
because you have some problems.

Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:

explain your situation

describe your problems

tell him/her when you think you can move in

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Exam Tip
Make sure that you address all the points in the question. Organise your ideas before you
start to write and when you have finished, check your spelling and the number of words you
have used.

Model answer
Dear Miss Berry,
As you know, I have rented 41 George Roche Road from you for six months from 15th
August. However, I am afraid I will no longer be able to move in on that date, as my plans
have had to change because of illness.
During the summer vacation, I was working in a company as a Project Manager. Towards the
end of my shift, I slipped and fell on a wet floor and broke my wrist. Luckily, it was a clean
break and didn't require surgery. However, it is my right wrist, and so I am unable to write for
the time being.
At present, I am at home in Kuala Lumpur until the plaster can be taken off I think this
should be in the last week of September. I will then return to my course in Canterbury and
take up residence at 41 George Roche Road.
I hope this will not cause you any difficulties.
Yours sincerely,
Rachel Yu
(164 words)

Marina has just started a new course at college and her tutor has asked her to
write him a letter telling him something about herself. She has made ten mistakes
in verb tenses in her letter. Find and correct them.

Dear Tutor,
I am coming to Brighton College from Singapore, where I was a student for ten years. I did
already take examinations in Singapore in English, Biology, Computer and Maths. My highest
score is for Computer: I got grade A.
When I was a student in Singapore I also have a part-time job in a shop. My uncle owns a
supermarket and so I helped him in the evenings. I used to worked there four nights a week
and I think this was very good experience for me.
At the weekends, I usually played volleyball with friends or, if the weather's bad, we have
been to the theatre, which is very popular in Singapore. Because of my part-time job, I also
did spend a lot of time studying at the weekend.
I didnt go to many other places. My father took me to Thailand once. Three weeks after we
had returned he also went to Malaysia and took the whole family.
This is a brief description of my background.
Best wishes,
Marina

Marina has just started a new course at college and her tutor has asked her to
write him a letter telling him something about herself. She has made ten mistakes
in verb tenses in her letter. Find and correct them.

Dear Tutor,
I have come to Brighton College from Singapore, where I was a student for ten years. I have
already taken examinations in Singapore in English, Biology, Computer and Maths. My
highest score was for Computer: I got grade A.
When I was a student in Singapore I also had a part-time job in a shop. My uncle owns a
supermarket and so I helped him in the evenings. I worked / used to work there four nights a
week and I think this was very good experience for me.
At the weekends, I usually played volleyball with friends or, if the weather was bad, we went /
used to go to the theatre, which is very popular in Singapore. Because of my part-time job, I
also spent a lot of time studying at the weekend.
I haven't been to many other places. My father took me to Thailand once. Three weeks after
we returned he also went to Malaysia and took the whole family.

This is a brief description of my background.

Best wishes,
Marina
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are a student at an English language school in Brighton and are living in private
accommodation with other flat mates. You have not had hot water or heating for some
time. The landlords workmen have tried to fix the problem but without success.
Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:

state your reason for writing

describe the problems and explain how you feel

propose a solution and risk the landlord to take action

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Grammar Tip
Note that the phrasal verb to look forward is always followed by to + ing: I am looking
forward to seeing you soon. In formal letters we use the simple present tense rather than
the present continuous: We look forward to hearing from you.

Model answer
Dear Mr. Jones,
I am one of the tenants at your property in Upper Lewes Road, and am writing to complain
about the fact that we do not have any hot water or heating in our house.
As you know, we have been living in this house since September and have always paid our
rent on time. However, we have had no hot water for last two weeks. This is making our lives
very difficult, especially as it is now the middle of winter. Last week you said you would send a
workman to our house within 3 days, but no one came. After calling many times, the workman
eventually arrived at the house 5 days later. Unfortunately, he said he could not fix the
problem because the boiler was too old! We are now extremely unhappy about this solution.
We are prepared to continue to rent your house but please arrange for emergency repairs to
be made. We also request a 40% discount on our rent for the period we have been without
any hot water or heating.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Shannon Brown
(188 words)
You have had a bank account for a few years. Recently you received a
letter from the hank stating that your account is $240 overdrawn and
that
you will he charged $70 which will he taken directly from your account.
You know that this information is incorrect.
Write a letter to the bank. Explain what has happened and say what you
would like them to do about it.

You should write at least 150 words.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You do NOT need to write your own address.

model answer:

Dear Sir,
I am writing in reply to a letter I received from you a few days ago. In your letter
you state that I am $240 overdrawn and that you will be charging me $70.
I would like to point out that the reason I am overdrawn is because of a mistake
made by your bank. If you look through your records you will see that I wrote
several weeks ago explaining the situation. For the last twelve months, I have
been paying $300 a month for a car I bought last summer. The monthly
payments were taken directly from my bank account. However, two months ago I
sold the car and I wrote to you instructing you to stop paying the monthly
instalments. I received a letter from you acknowledging my request, but, for
some reason, nothing was done about it. Another $300 instalment has been paid
this month and this is the reason why I am overdrawn.
I would like you to contact the garage where I bought the car explaining your
error. I would also like you to ask them to return the money.
Yours faithfully,
P Stoft

You borrowed some books from your school or college library.

Unfortunately you have to go away to visit a sick relative and cannot
return the books in time.
Write a letter to the library. Explain what has happened and tell them
what you want to do about it.

You should write at least 150 words.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You do NOT need to write your own address.

model answer:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to explain why I have been unable to return the three
books have out on three-day loan, which are now overdue.
After taking the books out on 16th March, I had an urgent phone call from my
elderly aunt's neighbour to say that my aunt had had a fall and had been taken
into hospital. I am her only surviving relative in this country, so I felt I had to go
and see her immediately. I travelled down to Surrey the following morning,
thinking I would stay for only two or three days.
Unfortunately, my aunt's condition has only improved very slowly, so I have had
to stay here longer than expected. However, the hospital says that if all goes well,
she should be able to go home in two or three days' time, in which case I will be
back at the beginning of next week.
Dealing in mind the circumstances I trust you will kindly waive any fines that may
have accumulated.
Yours sincerely
You have a friend who lives in a city abroad. You have decided that you
would like to apply to do a course at one of the colleges in this city.
Write to your friend explaining what you would like to do. Tell him/her
what type of work or studies you have been doing for the past few years
and ask for assistance in contacting an appropriate institution.

You should write at least 150 words.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You do NOT need to write your own address.

model answer:

Dear Anita
Sorry I haven't written for ages. I've been so busy over the last year and I never
seem to have a minute to myself.
I'd like to study electrical engineering at university in Australia next year and I
hope you can give me some advice. I think I would prefer Melbourne because I
know a few people from my visit last year.
This year I'm doing maths and physics at school and I hope to do well in my
exams. However, I really don't know which university to apply to, so could you
send me some information about different colleges? Also can you find out what
qualifications I need? For intance, as an oversease student, do I have to take an
English test?
I hope you don't mind doing this for me. It is much better to get this information
from someone who lives in the country, so I hope to hear from you soon.
Many thanks,
Rosanna

You have seen an advertisement in an English newspaper for a job working in the City
Museum shop during the holidays.
You decide to apply for the job. Write a letter to the director of the Museum. In your
letter:

introduce yourself

explain what experience and special skills you have

explain why you are interested in the job

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

IELTS Tip
Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully can both be used to close formal and semi-formal letters.
Yours faithfully is used when you don't know the name of the person you are writing to.
Related Topic: Writing a letter

Model answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
Im writing to apply for the holiday job which you advertised recently in the newspaper. I am a
twenty-one-year-old student and I speak English quite well. At present I am in my second year
studying History at Lincoln College and I am very keen to have a holiday job this summer. I
am extremely good at adding up, so I think I would be an asset to your shop.
My term finishes on 5th July and I am free until 20th September. Last year I worked in a
restaurant serving tourists from all over the world and I enjoyed it very much. I would like to
have the opportunity to meet people and practice my English again.
I enjoy going to museums and am particularly keen on history. Last year I went to an
exhibition of Ancient Greek objects which was held in London. I have often been in your
museum and am familiar with the items you have. I do hope you will be interested in my
application.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours faithfully,
Dimitris Boudramis
(186 words)