Use the greeting, sign-off and paragraph plan below for this formal letter, write it on a 20-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model letter.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Your company has not been able to finish a project for a client by the agreed date.
Write a letter to Mr Okafor, the client. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mr Okafor,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter to a named person ends Yours sincerely, followed by your full name.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 150 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Dear Mr Okafor,
I am writing to apologise sincerely for the delay in completing your new customer website, which we had promised to deliver by 30 June.
The delay was caused by a technical problem with the payment system that we installed. During final testing, we discovered that it was not processing some card transactions correctly. We could have launched on time, but I did not think it right to deliver something that might cost your customers money. We should, however, have told you earlier, and I regret that we did not.
Our developers have been working on the problem every day, and the system has now been rebuilt and is going through a second round of testing. I am pleased to confirm that the website will be completed and ready for you to use by Friday 12 July.
As an apology, we would like to offer you a ten per cent discount on the final invoice.
Yours sincerely,
Rachel Morgan
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I am writing to apologise for | formally say sorry for something |
| Please accept my sincere apologies. | a strong, polite apology |
| I deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused. | say you are sorry for the trouble |
| Unfortunately, circumstances beyond my control | explain that the cause was not your fault |
| I assure you that this will not happen again. | promise to prevent a repeat |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.
Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.