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 department has introduced a new system for booking meeting rooms.
Write a letter to a colleague, Mr Chen, who has been on leave. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mr Chen,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter to someone you know but not closely can end Kind regards or Best wishes as well as Yours sincerely, followed by your 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 Chen,
While you were away, we introduced a new way of booking meeting rooms, so I thought I would explain how it works before you try to reserve one.
From now on, all rooms must be booked online through the company calendar, instead of by writing on the whiteboard in the corridor. You simply open the calendar, choose the room and the time you need, and enter the number of people attending. The system will show you immediately whether the room is free, and you will receive a confirmation email.
The change was introduced because we kept having double bookings. Last month, two teams arrived for the same room, and a client presentation had to be moved. The new system should stop this.
If you need more information, you will find a short guide on the intranet, under the heading "Office Services". Please also ask me if you have any questions, or if you would like me to go through it with you on your first day back.
Best wishes,
Paul Anderson
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I thought you should know that | share news politely |
| Just to let you know, | casual-formal way to pass on news |
| I'm writing to update you on | give a progress report |
| If you have any questions, please get in touch. | invite follow-up |
| I'll keep you posted. | promise to update later |
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.