General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · other

Letter to Secretary Resigning from Committee Membership: 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.
  • 169 words
  • Formal letters
  • Other
  • 20 minutes
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The task

You can no longer serve on the committee of your local club.

Write a letter to the club secretary. In your letter:

  • →state your intention to resign from the committee
  • →explain the reasons for your resignation
  • →express your continued support for the club

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 8169 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Thompson,

Please accept this letter as formal notification of my resignation from the local tennis club committee, effective from the end of this month.

Regrettably, my professional responsibilities have shifted significantly over the past few weeks. My firm has recently secured several international contracts, which requires me to travel abroad frequently and work extended hours. Consequently, I no longer have the capacity to dedicate the time and energy necessary to fulfill my duties on the committee to the standard that the club deserves.

Despite stepping down from my administrative role, I remain a deeply committed member of the club. I have thoroughly enjoyed contributing to our recent court renovation project and witnessing the growth of our junior membership. I intend to continue playing regularly and will certainly volunteer my services for club tournaments whenever my schedule permits. Please let me know how I can assist with the transition of my current tasks to another member.

Thank you for your understanding regarding this decision.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Halloway

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 clearly addresses all three bullet points with a coherent, professional tone that flows naturally. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific, plausible reason for resignation, instead using vague language that lacks the necessary depth for a high-scoring letter.

  • →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

  • notification

    a formal statement or announcement of something

  • regrettably

    used to express sadness or disappointment about something

  • capacity

    the ability or power to do something

  • administrative

    relating to the running of a business or organization

  • committed

    willing to give your time and energy to something

  • transition

    the process of changing from one state to another

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 clearly addresses all three bullet points with a coherent, professional tone that flows naturally. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific, plausible reason for resignation, instead using vague language that lacks the necessary depth for a high-scoring letter.

Keep practising

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