General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · other

Letter to the Editor Nominating a Community Volunteer: 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.
  • 185 words
  • Formal letters
  • Other
  • 20 minutes
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The task

Your local newspaper wants to reward people who have contributed a lot to the community.

Write a letter to the newspaper. In your letter:

  • →suggest someone who deserves the reward
  • →mention what they have done to help the community
  • →say what reward you would like to give this person

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8185 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Editor,

I am writing to nominate Mr. Arthur Penhaligon for your community contribution award. Having lived in the Oakwood district for over a decade, I have witnessed his tireless dedication to improving our local neighbourhood, and I believe his efforts merit official recognition.

For the past five years, Arthur has single-handedly managed the 'Green Spaces' initiative. He organises weekly volunteer sessions to clear litter from our public parks and has successfully campaigned for the installation of new recycling bins along the high street. Beyond environmental work, he runs a weekly reading club for elderly residents at the community centre, ensuring that those who are housebound feel connected to the rest of the town.

Regarding the reward, I propose that he receives a lifetime membership to the local leisure centre, combined with a feature article in your publication. Such a gesture would not only honour his service but also inspire other residents to take pride in our shared environment. Thank you for considering this nomination; I am confident that highlighting Arthur’s selfless work would be a wonderful addition to your newspaper.

Yours faithfully,

Eleanor Rigby

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 specific, relevant details while maintaining a consistently formal tone throughout. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to provide a concrete, logical suggestion for the reward or drifting into an informal, overly conversational style.

  • →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

  • merit

    to deserve something because of your good qualities

  • tireless

    working very hard and with a lot of energy

  • initiative

    a new plan or process to achieve a goal

  • housebound

    unable to leave your home due to illness or age

  • gesture

    an action performed to show a particular feeling

  • selfless

    caring more about others than about yourself

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 specific, relevant details while maintaining a consistently formal tone throughout. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to provide a concrete, logical suggestion for the reward or drifting into an informal, overly conversational style.

Keep practising

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