IELTS Semi-formal Letter: Letter to a neighbor requesting mail collection services

The task

You are going on holiday and need someone to collect your mail.

Write a letter to your neighbor. In your letter:

→explain that you are going away and for how long
→ask if they would mind collecting your mail
→offer to bring them back a small gift from your trip

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear Mr/Ms [Name],

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8202 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I hope you are having a pleasant week. I am writing to let you know that I will be heading away on holiday soon, and I was wondering if you might be able to help me out with a small favour while I am gone.

I am planning to travel to the Scottish Highlands for a hiking trip, and I will be away for exactly two weeks, departing this coming Saturday and returning on the 24th of July. As my mailbox is rather small and tends to overflow quite quickly, I am concerned about sensitive documents getting damaged or going missing during my absence.

Would you mind collecting my mail and keeping it safe for me until I return? I would be more than happy to come by your house to pick everything up as soon as I am back in town.

To show my appreciation for your assistance, I would love to bring you back a small gift from the Highlands. Perhaps a box of traditional shortbread or a local souvenir would be something you might enjoy.

Please let me know if this is convenient for you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best wishes,

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 response achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with clear, natural language and maintaining an appropriate semi-formal tone throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide specific details, such as the duration of the trip or the specific nature of the request, leading to a vague response.

→Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
→Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
→State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

heading away
a casual way to say leaving for travel
favour
an act of kindness or a helpful request
absence
the period of time spent away from home
overflow
when something becomes too full to hold more
appreciate
to feel grateful for someone's help or kindness
convenient
fitting in well with a person's current plans

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

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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