Letter to a friend requesting a lost book

The task

You left your book at a friend's home and you want him to send it back.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

→describe your book
→tell him where you left it at
→suggest what he can do about it

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8208 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sam,

I hope you had a fantastic time at your place last weekend; it was lovely catching up over coffee. I am getting in touch because I seem to have misplaced one of my favourite novels, and I have a sneaking suspicion it is still at your flat.

It is a hardback copy of 'The Great Gatsby' with a distinctive navy-blue cloth cover and gold lettering on the spine. It is quite special to me because it contains a handwritten inscription from my grandfather on the inside front cover, so I would really hate to lose it.

I distinctly remember reading a few chapters while sitting on your grey sofa on Sunday morning. I must have tucked it down between the cushions before we headed out for lunch and simply forgot to pick it up when I left.

Could you possibly have a quick look for me when you have a moment? If you do find it, would you mind popping it in the post? I am more than happy to transfer the postage costs to your account immediately. Alternatively, if you happen to be heading into town next week, we could meet up for a quick drink and I can collect it then.

Best wishes,

Alex

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

This response reaches Band 8 by maintaining a consistent, natural informal tone while addressing all three bullet points with specific, plausible details. A common Band 6 mistake is using overly formal language like 'I am writing to request that you return my property,' which fails to reflect the requested relationship with a friend.

→Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.
→Contractions, phrasal verbs and a warm opening line are expected; a stiff formal tone loses marks here.
→Still cover every bullet in its own paragraph; friendly does not mean unstructured.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

sneaking suspicion
a feeling that something is true despite uncertainty
distinctive
having a special quality that is easily recognisable
inscription
words written in the front of a book
tucked
pushed or folded into a small space
popping it in the post
sending an item through the mail service
collect
to go to a place to get something

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Informal. Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.

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?+

Keep practising

More request letters

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