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 teach a class of students who would like to visit a local factory.
Write a letter to the factory manager. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter that begins Dear Sir or Madam ends Yours faithfully, 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 Sir or Madam,
I teach a class of twenty-four students aged sixteen to seventeen at Hillside Secondary School, and I am writing to ask whether we could arrange a visit to your factory.
The students are studying design and technology, and they are very interested in seeing how products are made on a large scale. They will be accompanied by me and one other teacher. None of them has visited a factory before, so we believe the trip would be educational and could even help them to think about their future careers.
We would like to come on a weekday morning in the second week of November, ideally on Tuesday 12 or Wednesday 13, arriving at 10 am and staying for around two hours. If these dates are not convenient, we can adapt to other times.
Could you also tell me what safety rules the students must follow? In particular, I would like to know whether we need to bring protective clothing, and whether there are any areas where photography is not allowed.
Thank you very much for considering our request.
Yours faithfully,
Susan Hartley
| 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 |
| Please confirm whether this date is convenient. | ask if a date suits the reader |
| I will make the necessary arrangements. | promise to organise things |
| I look forward to your confirmation. | polite closing asking for a reply |
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Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.