General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · application

Letter to project manager offering environmental project assistance: 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.
  • 191 words
  • Formal letters
  • Application
  • 20 minutes

The task

Your local newspaper had an advertisement asking people to help with environmental projects in your area.

Write a letter to the project manager to offer your help. In your letter:

  • →describe a local environmental issue in your area
  • →explain how you can help?
  • →suggest how the problem could be avoided in future?

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8191 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to express my keen interest in volunteering for the environmental initiatives advertised in the local newspaper recently. Having lived in the Oakwood district for over a decade, I am eager to contribute my time to improving our community’s surroundings.

A pressing concern in our area is the accumulation of plastic waste and litter along the banks of the River Brent. This pollution has not only become an eyesore but is also detrimental to the local wildlife and water quality, which has significantly deteriorated over the past year.

Regarding my contribution, I have extensive experience in coordinating community clean-up events and possess a certification in waste management. I am happy to assist with organising volunteer rosters, providing logistical support on site, or even conducting educational workshops for residents to raise awareness about proper disposal methods.

To prevent this issue from recurring, I suggest the local council installs more robust, wind-resistant recycling bins along the river pathways. Furthermore, implementing a monthly community-led maintenance programme would ensure the area remains pristine throughout the year.

I look forward to hearing how I might get involved.

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 fully addresses all three bullet points with specific, relevant ideas while maintaining a consistently professional tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a concrete suggestion for future prevention, instead offering only vague statements about 'keeping things clean'.

  • →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

  • keen interest

    a strong feeling of wanting to do something

  • detrimental

    tending to cause harm or damage to something

  • logistical support

    practical help with organising the details of events

  • robust

    strong and unlikely to break or fail

  • pristine

    in its original condition and perfectly clean

  • recurring

    happening repeatedly or returning to a previous state

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 fully addresses all three bullet points with specific, relevant ideas while maintaining a consistently professional tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a concrete suggestion for future prevention, instead offering only vague statements about 'keeping things clean'.

Keep practising

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