General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · other

Letter to college magazine suggesting cafeteria improvements: 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.
  • 174 words
  • Formal letters
  • Other
  • 20 minutes

The task

You eat at your college cafeteria every lunchtime. However, you think it needs some improvements.

Write a letter to the college magazine. In your letter:

  • →what do you like about the cafeteria
  • →say what is wrong with it
  • →suggest how it could be improved

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8174 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Editor,

I am a regular patron of the college cafeteria and am writing to share my thoughts regarding the current dining facilities.

I must commend the staff on the variety of hot meals provided. The daily selection of vegetarian curries and fresh salads is genuinely impressive, and the friendly service consistently makes the lunch hour a pleasant experience for students.

However, there are significant issues that hinder the overall experience. The seating area is frequently overcrowded, resulting in long queues that extend into the corridor. Furthermore, the ventilation system appears inadequate, as the room often becomes uncomfortably warm and permeated with cooking odours, which is particularly off-putting during the warmer months.

To address these concerns, I suggest installing additional industrial fans to improve air circulation. Additionally, implementing an online pre-ordering system could significantly reduce congestion at the payment counters, allowing students to collect their meals efficiently. I believe these minor adjustments would greatly enhance the cafeteria’s appeal.

Thank you for considering these suggestions to improve our shared campus facilities.

Yours faithfully,

James Sterling

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

The response achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with specific, logical suggestions while maintaining a professional and constructive tone throughout. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link the problems to specific, actionable solutions, often resulting in vague complaints without a clear focus on improvement.

  • →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

  • patron

    A regular customer who supports a business establishment.

  • commend

    To express formal praise for someone or something.

  • permeated

    Spread throughout something, especially smells or liquids.

  • off-putting

    Unpleasant or disconcerting, causing a loss of interest.

  • congestion

    The state of being overcrowded or blocked up.

  • enhance

    To intensify or increase the quality or value.

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?+

The response achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with specific, logical suggestions while maintaining a professional and constructive tone throughout. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link the problems to specific, actionable solutions, often resulting in vague complaints without a clear focus on improvement.

Keep practising

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