Use the greeting, sign-off and paragraph plan below for this semi-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 transferred you to another city before your rental contract ends.
Write a letter to your landlady, Mrs Cooper. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mrs Cooper,
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 Mrs Cooper,
I am writing with some news that I am afraid you may find disappointing. I will have to leave the flat earlier than planned.
My company has transferred me to its head office in Manchester, and I have to start work there on 1 September. I had hoped to stay until the end of my contract in January, and I am sorry for any inconvenience this causes you.
I have been very happy here, and I will miss the neighbourhood. According to my notice period, I can move out on Friday 28 August, and I will make sure that the flat is clean and in good condition before I go.
I would like to help you find a new tenant as quickly as possible, so that you do not lose any rent. I could put an advertisement on the university noticeboard and on a few websites, and I could show people around in the evenings.
Thank you very much for your understanding.
Yours sincerely,
Victoria Hughes
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I'd like to explain what happened. | open an explanation politely |
| The reason is that | introduce a cause |
| That's why | link a cause to a result |
| I hope that makes things clearer. | polite closing |
| Please don't hesitate to ask if you need more details. | invite questions |
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