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.
You want to discuss a business loan with your bank.
Write a letter to Mr Fischer, your bank manager. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mr Fischer,
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 Fischer,
I am writing to ask for a meeting to discuss a business loan, as I have been a customer of your branch for more than eight years.
I run a small furniture workshop, and orders have increased so much in the past year that I need to expand. I would like to borrow 25,000 pounds to buy two new machines and to rent a larger unit on the industrial estate. I believe the investment would allow me to double my production and employ two more workers.
I would be grateful if we could meet at your convenience. I am free on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and I could come to the bank at any time after 9.30.
I will bring the documents I think you will need, including my business plan, my accounts for the last three years, my recent bank statements and my tax returns. If there is anything else that you would like to see, please let me know and I will prepare it before our meeting.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Oleg Smirnov
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I would like to arrange a meeting to discuss | formal way to propose a meeting |
| Would it be possible to reschedule | polite way to ask to change a time |
| I propose that we meet on | suggest a time |
| I will make the necessary arrangements. | promise to organise things |
| I look forward to your confirmation. | polite closing asking for a reply |
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.