51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1

51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Mark Griffiths Kindle Edition Copyright 2014 Mark Griffiths Discover other titles by Mark Griffiths at Amazon Kindle Kindle Edition, License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. Table of Contents Introduction Accommodation Work Education Shopping Celebrations Holidays Transport Insurance and Banks General Social Situations Bonus Letter! About the Author

Introduction Accommodation 1. You have been offered a place at a university and wish to find suitable accommodation. Write a letter to the accommodation officer including the following information: the type of accommodation you wish to find some details about yourself any special requirements you may have and any other relevant information. Dear Sir or Madam, I recently received confirmation that I have gained a place on the M.Sc. Microbiology course at your university, starting this September, and am writing to you with regard to arranging for accommodation. My student registration number is 123456. I understand that you offer accommodation both on and off campus, the latter costing between £15 and £30 per week. I would prefer to live off campus in a house with two or three other students, each student having his/her own room, ideally within a 30-minute walk of the university. I have budgeted for rent of £20 per week. If possible, I would like to remain in the same accommodation for the entire duration of my course, i.e. two academic years. I do not have any special requirements, but would prefer to share the accommodation with students my age (I am 25) who are actively interested in sport. I myself am a keen rugby player. I do not mind whether the other students are on a similar course to me or not. I would be grateful if you could send me details of two or three choices at your earliest convenience. Yours faithfully, Andrew Scott 197 words 2. You have recently moved to a different house. Write a letter to an English-speaking friend. In your letter: explain why you have moved describe the new house invite your friend to come and visit Dear John, I’m writing to let you know that I and my family have moved to a new house. The previous one was

too small for us now that we have another child. The new one has three bedrooms and a larger garden for us to relax in. The attic has also been converted for use as storage space, which my wife is very happy about because it means there is somewhere convenient to put my collection of books. Downstairs, there is a large living room and the kitchen and dining room are combined into one. Now, I have to spend some time on redecorating, but I should be able to finish that in about a month. Why don’t you come to visit us during the summer, when I have finished? The area is very nice and as we are on the outskirts of town it is easy to get to the country. I’m sure you would enjoy yourself. We all look forward to seeing you soon. Best wishes, David 165 words 3. You and your family are living in rented accommodation in an English-speaking country. You are not satisfied with the condition of some of the furniture. Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter you should: introduce yourself explain what is wrong with the furniture and say what action you would like the landlord to take. Dear Mr Smith, My family and I have been living in your property at 12 New Road for almost three years now. We are happy here and would like to thank you for all the help you have given us. However, recently we have noticed that the quality of the furniture has deteriorated. In particular, the sofa and armchairs are torn and should be repaired or changed. Under the terms of our lease, this constitutes normal wear and tear and it is the landlord’s responsibility to take care of the matter financially. We would therefore be grateful if you would either arrange to have the sofa and armchairs repaired or replaced. Alternatively, under the terms of the lease, I could buy some new replacement furniture and deduct the cost from the next rental payment. Either option is acceptable to us. Please inform me as soon as convenient which of these options you prefer. Yours sincerely, Mikal Brun 157 words 4. You are a student at an English language school and are living in private accommodation with other students from the school. You have not had hot water or heating for some time. The landlord’s workmen have tried to fix the problem but without success. Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter: state your reason for writing

describe the problems propose a solution Dear Mr. Ellis, I am writing on behalf of all the students at your property at 38 New Street. As you know, we have not had hot water or heating for almost two months. We appreciate that you have sent workmen to rectify the situation, but the fact is that they have been unsuccessful, despite spending a lot of time on the problems. Up to now, the focus has been on repairing the hot water boiler and the heating system. However, both of these are really quite old. Therefore, we think that the boiler and heating system need to be replaced, rather than relying on repairs that do not work or may only keep them in working order for a limited time. One of us has a friend who works part-time for a plumbing company. His friend and his colleagues have taken a look at the problem and they have provided us with a quote for the necessary work. The price seems very reasonable and they are sure that they can get the work done by the end of next week. We hope that you will agree to this solution as we enjoy living here and we think that you want to be as helpful as possible. Yours sincerely, Nicolas De Santos 204 words 5. You live in a room in college which you share with another student. However, there are problems with this and you find it difficult to work. Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In the letter describe the situation explain the problems and why it is difficult to work say what kind of accommodation you would prefer Dear Mr. Hopkins, I am currently accommodated at Link Hall (Room 8B) where I share a room with another student. Although I am very happy with the accommodation itself, I find that it is becoming impossible to live with my current room-mate. There are two main issues. First of all, she enjoys playing music at high volume. This is something that I and the students in the neighbouring rooms have asked her not to do, but she is determined and

ignores our requests. The second problem is that she often invites people to our room late in the evening. Again, I have asked her not to do this, but she continues to do it anyway. Obviously, these two problems are making it almost impossible to study. At the moment, I am forced to work in the library which is not always convenient. Besides, the rent agreement for college accommodation clearly states that students must refrain from making too much noise and not have visitors late in the evenings. If it is not possible to move my room-mate out, then I would like to request similar accommodation to that at Link Hall. I don’t mind sharing, but if a single room is available, I would prefer that. I look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, Lisa Willis 209 words 6. You will move to a new city for work. You know some people who live there. Write a letter to one of your friends. In your letter: ask them for help finding accommodation tell them where you would like to live tell them the type of place you are looking for Dear Jenny, Thanks for your last letter – great to hear from you, as always! I’m so glad to hear that your relationship with Steve is back on track! So, as you know, I’m moving to New York at the end of July. I’d like to ask for a little help finding some accommodation. I don’t want to impose on you or Jack or Sally – even for a night. Of course, I’d like to find a place in the same area as you guys, and it’s easy to get from there to the downtown where I’ll be working. I’m looking for something small – a one bedroom place will be big enough. I don’t have too much stuff to bring with me and, besides, we all know how expensive accommodation is in New York. I don’t mind which floor it’s on or even if it faces onto the street – I sleep like a log! If you know of anything that’s available or if you could put me in touch with an agency, that would be fantastic. Love, Jessica 172 words

back to top Work 7. You are working for a company. You need to take some time off work and want to ask your manager about this. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter: explain why you want to take time off work give details of the amount of time you need suggest how your work could be covered while you are away Dear Mike, Yesterday I received an invitation from New Age Management to give a presentation on marketing techniques and I would like to ask you for a day off work to make this presentation, which is scheduled for next Friday. Although my presentation would not last all day, I think I should be there for the whole day in order to have the opportunity to meet attendees. I have checked with my team and they are confident that they can cover my work for that day, especially as we are well ahead with the Ace Corporation project. Maggie can deal with my calls and any urgent emails whilst Barry is totally familiar with the ongoing project work. I am sure you will agree that making a presentation for New Age will raise our profile and is likely to bring us extra work, so I hope that you will agree to give me the day off. Best regards, David 153 words 8. You were going to start a job next month, but you will not be able to. Write a letter to your future employer. In your letter explain the situation describe your problem(s) tell him/her when you can start work Dear Mr. Smith, Thank you once again for offering me the position of Sales Manager at your company after my interview last month. We have already discussed the start date for my employment and agreed upon the first of next month. However, I would like to ask you if it is possible to postpone this start date by a fortnight. The reason is that an uncle of mine has died abroad and it will be necessary for me to go

and take care of certain legal and financial matters. This duty has fallen to me as I am his closest living relative. I would like to apologise for any trouble or difficulties that this may cause you and I hope that you will be able to keep the job open for me for another two weeks. I would be very grateful if you could let me have your decision at you earliest convenience. Yours sincerely, David Roberts 157 words 9. You have decided to leave your current job even though you enjoy it. Write a letter to inform your manager of your decision. In your letter: tell the manager your decision and the reason describe what you have learnt in your current job ask the manager to write you a reference letter. Dear Mrs. Bradbury, I am writing to you to tell you that I have decided to apply for a job with another company – ABC Electronics. This decision follows the announcement by management last month that the Research and Development Department here at XYZ Electronics would be scaled down and most staff moved to other departments. I have really enjoyed working here. I have learnt a lot about research and development strategies and management. My colleagues and bosses have been wonderful to work with and I have truly learnt what great teamwork can achieve. As Mr. Johnson pointed out at the meeting where the announcement was made, it is only to be expected that some employees would seek other opportunities at different companies. It has been a pleasure to work with you and I hope that you will be able to provide me with a letter of reference. If you could let me have the letter by the end of this week, that would be lovely, as I have an interview scheduled with ABC Electronics at the weekend. Yours sincerely, Jack Harding 174 words 10. You recently took a part-time job working for a local company. After a few weeks, you realised

there were some problems with the job. Write a letter to the manager of the company. In your letter explain why you took the job describe the problems that you experienced suggest what could be done about them Dear Mr. Harris, I am currently working part-time on the factory floor of your company. I really appreciated working for your company, but I feel that I must bring two points to your attention. Firstly, when I was interviewed and given a job here, I was told that my responsibilities would be purely administrative. In other words, I was told that I would be working in an office environment rather than on the factory floor. When I arrived for my first day of work, I was asked to work in the factory just for one day to cover for an absent worker. However, I have now been there for over a week. Whenever I ask a supervisor about this, they claim not to know what I’m talking about. The second problem is related to the first, in that factory workers are required to work shifts, including a night shift. As I am a student, this will simply be impossible for me. I am scheduled to work the night shift next week, but there is simply no way I can do this. I hope we can rectify the situation as soon as possible. Yours sincerely, Ahmed Said 189 words 11. You are looking for a part-time job. Write a letter to an employment agency. In your letter: introduce yourself explain what sort of job you would like and say what experience and skills you have Dear Sir/Madam, I saw an advertisement in ‘The Local News’ for your employment agency and would like to be considered for suitable part-time work. I am foreign student, from Vietnam, studying Computer Science. As you are probably aware, the current regulations allow me to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week. I am really looking for a part-time job related to computing, but as those jobs may be scarce, I am also happy to consider such things as bar /restaurant work, working in a shop or even factory work.

I have some experience of programming work in Vietnam. I have a solid knowledge of C++ and Java. I also worked as a shop assistant for a few months before coming to Australia in a shop selling computer accessories. I am attaching further details in my resume. Please note that I can only consider jobs within a 5-mile radius of the Cornhill University campus. I look forward to your reply and perhaps meeting you for an interview. Yours faithfully, Nicky Tranh 166 words 12. You have seen an advertisement for part-time work in a hotel for three months over the summer. Write a letter to the manager. In your letter: say what experience you have ask what the work involves enquire about work conditions Dear Mr. Crowther, I would like to apply for the position of part-time porter at your hotel, as advertised in ‘The Evening News’ yesterday. I am 20 years old and am currently studying at City University. I will have a three month holiday over the summer, so this job would be perfect. I already have experience as a porter. I worked as one last summer at the International Hotel in Venice. I am attaching a letter of recommendation from the manager of that hotel that I received last year. As I will be on holiday during the summer, I am available to work different shifts and I live only a mile from your hotel, so I can walk there easily. I do have a few questions. First, could you tell me how long each shift is? I know that this varies from hotel to hotel. Also, are staff meals provided during shifts or should I bring my own food? Finally, is a uniform provided or should I wear my own clothes? I look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, Mario Taranto

174 words 13. You want to start your own business. Write a letter to a friend. In your letter: tell him/her about your business explain why you think it is a good idea and ask him/her for some help or advice Dear Amelia, It was great to see you last week. I know I was a bit grumpy, having just been made redundant. You suggested I start my own business and at the time I thought your suggestion was ridiculous. However, I had a chat with my wife about it and she agreed with you. We decided the best business we could start would be a computer consultancy service, since I have worked with computers for a long while and know many people who require such a service. Yesterday, we visited our bank manager to discuss financing. The bank manager was sympathetic, but said that we hadn’t properly planned things out. Therefore, we’d like to ask you for some advice in this area, as you have your own business and have already been through this. We don’t expect you to do this for free! My wife and I would be happy to pay you to help us prepare the necessary documents to convince our bank manager to provide us with a loan. I hope you can spare the time to help us and look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes, Keith and Sarah 193 words 14. One of your friends wants to apply for a job involving working with foreign teenagers. Write a letter of recommendation for him/her. In your letter you should say: how long you have known your friend something about your friend’s personality and explain why you think your friend would make a good employee Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to you to recommend my friend, Martina Novakova, who is applying for a job with your organisation. I have known Martina for two years. We first met whilst working together at a summer camp in Italy. Last year, we worked together at a language school in Spain. She is very responsible. When doing any activities, she makes sure that everything is as safe as possible. She also has a strong sense of fair

play, so she tries her best to ensure that each participant has a chance to take part in activities to the best of their ability. I think that she would make an excellent employee for your organisation because she has experience of working with teenagers from many different countries and because she speaks several languages quite well. In addition, she has had first aid training which is always useful when working with young people who are taking part in various physical activities. If I can be of any further assistance, please let me know. Yours faithfully, Mary White 170 words back to top Education 15. You have read about a scholarship offered by a university and wish to apply. Write a letter to the university and include the following information: the scholarship you wish to apply for some details about yourself your academic suitability for the scholarship and any other relevant information. Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to you regarding the Hunt Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a student of history at your university. . I am currently in the first year of my B.A. in History at your university. I would like to apply for this scholarship due to unforeseen financial constraints which may otherwise force me to abandon my studies. I am sure you will agree that I have contributed to extra-curricular activities at this university. I play on the football team which got to the final of the University Cup this season. I also run Marathons and will represent the university in this event at the forthcoming University Athletics Meeting. I have performed well academically, with very good grades so far (five grade ‘A’s and one grade ‘B’). I admit that it will be hard to maintain that standard next year, but I am confident in my ability to deal with the workload. As you can see from the enclosed reports, my tutors share my confidence. I am sure you will give my application due consideration. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours faithfully, Andrew Scott 187 words 16. You wish to study at a foreign university. Write a letter to the university. In your letter you should ask about: the accommodation and fees possible scholarships and the qualifications required for acceptance. Dear Sir/Madam, I am a Chinese citizen who wishes to study for a Master’s degree in International Law (course code MIL002) at your university. I would by grateful if you would provide me with some information at your earliest convenience. First, I need to ensure that my current qualifications are acceptable for study on this course. I already have a Bachelor’s degree in Law from a Chinese university and last year I achieved a band of 7.5 in the IELTS test. Second, could you tell me the cost of the tuition fees? I would also like to know whether there are any scholarships open to me. If there are, would you mind sending me the details as soon as possible? Lastly, I would like to ask about accommodation options. If possible, I would prefer to live on campus in a single room. If such rooms are available, would you send me prices so that I can see if they are within my budget? I look forward to receiving your reply. Yours faithfully, Wang Tao 168 words 17. You are interested in studying on a short course at a college in an English speaking country. Write a letter to the college. In your letter you should say: which course you are interested in and why describe your educational background and work experience and say why you would like to study at that college. Dear Sir/Madam.

A friend of mine recently recommended your college's short course on Hedge Fund Management. I looked online at your website and I think that your college would be a good place for me to study since it is near to Heathrow Airport and because I have another friend living nearby, in Woking, from where I can easily commute to the college each day for classes. I am currently working for a hedge fund management company, but in a very junior role. However, I have aspirations to develop my career with this company and I therefore believe that this course would be beneficial. I have a degree in Financial Management from Hamburg University. I graduated three years ago and initially worked in the Finance Department of Siemens in Hamburg, before moving to my current job at Libor Financial last September. I am attaching a more detailed resume with this letter and look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours faithfully, Michael Brun 160 words 18. You have a friend who lives in a city abroad. You have decided that you would like to apply to do a course at one of the colleges in that city. Write to your friend explaining what you would like to do. In your letter: tell him/her of your plans tell him/her what type of work or studies you have been doing recently and ask for help in contacting a college. Dear Pavel, I hope you are well and that your studies are going okay. I have been busy with my International Relations course here in Oxford. We’ve been looking at Russian foreign policy quite extensively. It’s certainly a topic that requires a great deal of thought. Last time we met, I mentioned that I was thinking of taking a summer course at Moscow University. Well, I’ve decided to go ahead with that plan. I’m thinking about doing a course related to International Law, but I would appreciate your advice first. If you know anything about that course or any other that you think might be of interest to me, could you send me a few details? Furthermore, if you know anyone at the university who could help me with applying for a course, that would be great. There is apparently a lot of competition to get places on such courses. If all goes well, I’ll see you over the summer!

Best wishes, David 158 words 19. You have a full-time job and are also taking an evening course several hours a week. You feel that you cannot continue taking the course. Write a letter to the course tutor. In your letter you should: describe the situation explain why you cannot continue the course say what you intend to do Dear Mr Jones, I am a student from your Elementary French class, which is held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the adult education centre. I am really enjoying the course, but unfortunately will be unable to finish it since I have to complete a project at work. This project is very important to the company as it involves a major expansion of our activities. My boss has told me that the project must be finished by the end of this month and so I will have to put in some extra work in the evenings and at the weekends. I have checked with the adult education centre and they tell me that you will be beginning a new course in six weeks time. I have already signed up for this course and look forward to your lessons. I hope you don’t mind too much that I have had to do this and I would like to thank you for all your help. Yours sincerely, David Roberts 167 words 20. You are going to travel to London for about one week and spend two days visiting the London Library. You are studying for a project and want to do some background studies. Write a letter to the head of the library. In your letter explain what your project is about, say what studies you want to do at the library say what facilities you need to use. Dear Sir/Madam, I am a student from Shanghai University currently researching diplomatic relations between China and Britain in the 19th century. I understand that you have several documents relating to this at your library and I would be grateful for the opportunity to study them. The documents I am particularly interested

in are those relating to the visit of Lord Smith to the Imperial Palace in the 1820s. I am planning to visit London for one week at the end of February and would like to spend two days studying the documents if possible. I have not made any firm plans yet, so am flexible as to which days I could be at the library. If it is possible for me to visit, I may need to use a photocopier or scanner. Do you have one available at the library for researchers to use? I look forward to your reply and hope to have the opportunity to meet you when I am at the library. Yours faithfully, Sam Li 169 words 21. You are a teacher at a secondary school (high school). You have been asked to arrange a visit to a local museum or tourist attraction for some of your students. Write a letter to the manager of the museum or tourist attraction. In your letter you should: say who you are and which school you teach at say why the school would like the students to visit the museum/attraction ask about educational facilities or information that the museum/attraction can provide. Dear Sir/Madam, I am the Head of History at Wigglesworth Secondary School and I have been asked to arrange a visit to your museum – The Midsomer County Museum of History – for a group of about 20 students, accompanied by two members of staff. We believe that viewing the exhibits at your museum would benefit the students immensely. The fact that your museum focuses on local history should help the students to realise that history is not an abstract subject about things that have no influence on their lives. If you could provide me with some more detailed information about the exhibits you currently have and intend to have in October. If you could let me know whether guided tours are available for school groups, I would be very grateful. We have not yet decided on an exact date, but we are looking at the end of October. I hope this is acceptable. Yours faithfully, Emily Smith 152 words

back to top Shopping 22. You have just rented an unfurnished flat and a friend has told you about a shop that has cheap second-hand furniture. Write to the shop owner. In your letter: describe what you need ask whether they have these items and ask what they cost. Dear Sir/Madam, I have recently moved into an unfurnished flat in King Street and a friend suggested that your shop might have some suitable second-hand furniture for sale. I passed by your shop earlier today, but it was closed, so I thought I’d write to you. Basically, I need the following items. First I’m looking for a coffee table about 4 feet by two feet. I also need a sofa for 2-3 people and an armchair. They do not need to match. Furthermore, I’d like a wardrobe about three feet wide. If it has some extra shelves in it, that would be a bonus. Finally, I will also require a desk. This should be about the same size as the coffee table. I’m not particular about the colours of these items, but dark colours are preferable. If you have any or all of these items in stock, please let me know and also give me an indication of the price for each item. Feel free to telephone if that is more convenient. Yours faithfully, Jessica Miller 170 words 23. You would like to buy some electrical goods at a shop in a nearby town. Write a letter to the shop owner. In your letter ask: if they have the things you want or if they can order them what the prices are and how long they can keep the goods for you. Dear Sir/Madam, I saw an advertisement for your shop and would like to ask about a few items. The first item I am interested in is a refrigerator (SuperCool X). The second is a DVD player. At the moment, I cannot choose between the Digi 2020 and the X5000 models, so I would like to enquire

about both. I am also interested in the Gourmet Mix 2.0 food mixer with the additional attachments pack. For each of these items, could you tell me whether you have them in stock? If you need to order them, how long would it be before they arrive? Naturally, I would also like to know the price for each item. This would be especially helpful for choosing between the two DVD players. As I live in Alcester, I can easily drive to your shop to collect the items. However, I am going away on business in a few days. Would it be possible to hold the goods for me and for how long? Thank you in advance and I look forward to your reply. Yours faithfully, Robert Brown 177 words 24. You had problems with your computer. You took the computer to be repaired, but after being repaired, the computer doesn’t work well. Write a letter to the manger of the computer shop. In your letter you should say: what happened at the shop why you are not satisfied with the service and what you want the manager to do. Dear Sir/Madam, On Saturday 13th October, I took my laptop computer to be repaired at one of your branches (12 High Street, Newtown). The computer was having problems with freezing during everyday use. One of the shop assistants asked a few questions about the problem and told me that the fault could be fixed within a few days. He suggested that I collect my laptop on the following Tuesday, which I did. The charge was $19.95. However, when I returned home and switched on the laptop, I soon discovered that the problem had not been solved, as the computer froze once again within a few minutes of being turned on. When I took the laptop back to the branch the following day, I was told that there was nothing that could be done. I asked for a refund which was refused. I would be grateful if you could look into this matter for me and arrange for my computer to be repaired or for a refund. I am enclosing a copy of the receipt. Yours faithfully, Mike Brown

174 words 25. You recently bought a piece of equipment for your kitchen but it did not work. You phoned the shop but no action was taken. Write a letter to the shop manager. In your letter: describe the problem with the equipment explain what happened when you phoned the shop say what you would like the manager to do Dear Sir/Madam, On 18th March this year I bought a SuperCook 500 microwave oven from your shop. However, when I got home and tried it out, it did not work. I tried various settings and consulted the manual for operating instructions, but without any success. I decided to telephone your shop and was placed on hold for ten minutes before the call was terminated without explanation. I called again and after a further ten minute wait was connected with a salesman. I am not sure whether he understood my problem, but he told me that he couldn’t do anything and suggested that I buy a new oven! I do not think this is an acceptable solution and would like to ask you to arrange for the faulty oven to be replaced or provide me with a refund. I am attaching a photocopy of the receipt with this letter. I would also like to suggest that your staff get some training in dealing with customer complaints. Yours faithfully, David Green 163 words 26. You recently bought a laptop computer. A few days later the laptop stopped working. When you took it back to the shop, they refused to deal with the problem. Write a letter to the customer service department at the company’s head office including the following information: the problem with the laptop what exactly happened when you returned to the shop what you would like the customer service department to do and any other relevant information. Dear Sir or Madam, I recently bought a Komputa 2000 laptop computer at your Henley branch. However, within a few days, I began to experience problems with it. The main problems were that a few of the programs installed on it ceased to function and that the laptop refused to accept any discs, even though these discs are accepted by both my desktop computer and my friend’s Toshiba 2000.

When I returned to the shop to claim a replacement or a refund under the terms of the warranty provided by your shop, I was informed that I am not entitled to either as the warranty card is invalid. The reason why the warranty is invalid was not explained to me. When I asked for an explanation, the staff refused to give me one. Whilst the staff were not rude as such, they were rather abrupt. As a result, I am writing to you in order to sort the situation out. I believe the warranty card to be complete and valid. I enclose a photocopy for you to check. I would like to arrange for my faulty laptop to be exchanged or for my money to be refunded. Please contact me when you have looked into the matter. I may be contacted by telephone on (0237) 657483. Yours faithfully, Andrew Scott 220 words 27. You work for a small company and you need some advertising materials. Write a letter to a company that sells advertising materials. In your letter you should say: who you are and which company you work for how you discovered their company what advertising materials you need. Dear Mrs. Finch, I am in charge of advertising for a small company in Wigglesworth named 'Park Entertainments'. We operate three gastropubs in the area. We are currently looking for a company to provide us with some advertising materials to use at our locations. A friend told me about your company and I thought I would write to you to see if you can provide us with what we need. First of all, we need some glasses that we can use at our branches. These glasses must have our logo on them. Then, we need some t-shirts for our staff and some additional ones that we can give away to clients. Finally, we would like to have some napkins for use in our restaurant areas, with our logo. If you could let me know as soon as possible whether you can get produce these items for us and at what prices, I would be most grateful. Naturally, we anticipate using the same supplier in the future and we have a preference for ordering locally wherever possible. Yours sincerely, Margaret Simpson 173 words

back to top Celebrations 28. An Australian friend is coming to visit you, and it will be his/her birthday during the visit. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: say how you feel about the visit suggest what you could do on his/her birthday ask what your friend thinks of your idea Dear Michelle, I’m so glad you’re coming to visit! I’m really excited and I hope to help make this a fantastic trip for you. As we discussed, I have planned a few activities for us. The Philippines is a great place for scuba diving and many of the best spots are near to lovely beaches. We can also go hiking in a nature reserve where there should be some opportunities to see the local wildlife. I know that it will be your birthday during your visit, so I have planned something special for that day. In the morning, I thought we could go shopping at the local market. It’s a good place to buy souvenirs, especially authentic, locally-made ones. In the afternoon, my mother has insisted that we have a party at our home. I will invite a few of the people you taught when they were in my class in Cairns. Then, in the evening, we can check out one or two of the local bars in town. Does that sound okay to you? If you would rather do something else or have any other ideas, please let me know. See you at the airport! Love, Christina 194 words 29. You have just moved into a new home and are planning to hold a party. You are worried that the noise may disturb your neighbour. Write a letter to your neighbour. In your letter you should: introduce yourself describe your plans for the party and invite your neighbour to come to the party. Dear Mr Black,

It was very nice to meet you briefly when my family and I moved in next door to you last week. I am writing to tell you that we will be holding a small housewarming party and we would like to invite you and your family. The party will be held on Saturday during the late afternoon and early evening, starting at around 5 p.m. We do not intend for the party to continue late into the evening as we are concerned that this might disturb you and other neighbours. As we are new to the neighbourhood, we certainly would not like to get off on the wrong foot with our neighbours. We will be having a barbecue in the garden and are expecting about a dozen guests. If you decide to join us, it is not necessary to bring anything with you. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday and sincerely hope that, if you do not, the party will not disturb you in any way. Yours sincerely, Mikal Brun 175 words 30. You are going to hold a birthday party for a friend. Write a letter to the manager of a local restaurant. In your letter you should: reserve a room for the party explain your requirements and ask for the approximate cost. You should write at least 150 words Dear Sir/Madam, I am arranging to hold a birthday party for a friend and I have heard that your restaurant has private rooms for hire. If possible, I would like to reserve a room for Tuesday, May 12th, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The room should seat thirty people, but it is not necessary to have everyone seated at a single table. In fact, it would be ideal if we could have five or six tables. As for the food, we would like to have a buffet with both hot and cold dishes. Please not that there will be three or four vegetarians in our group. We will also need a bar or a drinks table. Finally, a few birthday decorations would be much appreciated. We don’t need anything fancy – just something to liven up the room a little. I would be grateful if you could send me an estimate of the cost (excluding drinks) along with your suggestions for the buffet dishes. Yours faithfully,

Kate Allen 162 words 31. One of your colleagues is leaving his/her job. Your manager has asked you to arrange a leaving party for him/her. Reply to your manager. In your letter you should: suggest a suitable day and time for the party recommend a venue/place describe the food and entertainment options available. Dear Steve, I appreciate being asked to arrange Claire's leaving party. I've really enjoyed working with her since she joined us five years ago. She'll be missed. I think that the best day would be the day that she actually leaves – the 31st of this month. It's a Friday, so I think that everyone – or almost everyone – should be able to make it. Besides, if anyone overdoes it, they can recover over the weekend. I suggest we have the do at 'The Lamb and Flag'. First of all, it's close by and everyone is familiar with it, given that we often go there after work for a quick pint. Secondly, they have a small function room upstairs. I've had a chat with the landlord and he's happy to let us use it for a few hours free of charge, since we're regulars. I also asked the landlord about some snacks and he said that he can lay on plenty of sandwiches and some finger food for a reasonable price. As for a bit of entertainment, I had a word with Sheila and Mike, who are in a band. They can sing a few songs for us and then we just have something playing in the background using a laptop and some speakers. If you have any questions or suggestions, let me know. All the best, Mark 223 words 32. You celebrated your birthday with some friends last week in a restaurant. It was a great success and you and your friends enjoyed the evening very much. Write a letter to the restaurant to thank them. In your letter: mention the food, service and the atmosphere suggest any improvements to make things better and say that you plan to go there again.

Dear Mrs. Hudson, I’m writing to thank you for the wonderful evening we spent at your restaurant last week. We were the group from ABC Electronics who were there last Wednesday. Everyone agreed that the food was delicious! The prawn salad for the starter was simple, but tasty and not overpowered by the vinaigrette. We were very impressed with the way that you could provide some of us with small portions of 2 or 3 desserts together. Several people couldn’t choose between the offerings and this meant they could indulge themselves a little. There was a small mix-up as one of our group was a vegetarian and this important piece of information had been lost somewhere along the line. We were assured by your excellent and attentive staff that this would not happen next time. And there will be a next time! We are planning another staff party at the end of next month and I will contact you soon about arrangements for that. We hope that the guitarist will be there – she really added to the overall atmosphere. Thank you once again for a lovely evening! Yours sincerely, Lisa Watson 184 words back to top Holidays 33. One of your friends plans to go sightseeing in your country. You used to live in a place that you think she might enjoy visiting. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter you should: briefly describe the attractions of this place recommend accommodation and suggest what he/she should take. Dear John, Thank you for your letter. I am so glad to hear that you have finally decided to pay a trip to America. As you know, I used to live in Las Vegas. I think you’ll like the casinos there, but be careful not to lose much money! The nightclubs are really worth visiting as they often have great shows. I also suggest that you take a trip to Death Valley. Many tour operators offer day trips there. Accommodation in Las Vegas can be very expensive, but there is a reasonably priced hotel on Main Street called the Palace Hotel. It’s very near the main casino and nightclub area, so you’ll also save

money by walking rather than taking a cab. As you can imagine, Las Vegas will be very hot during the day and warm even at night, so you only need to take light clothes with you. However, it’s worth taking a sweater just in case. Take a pair of sunglasses and a hat, particularly if you decide to go to Death Valley. I’d recommend taking traveller’s checks because if they are lost or stolen, you can get them replaced easily. Lots of restaurants and entertainment venues also accept them. I hope you have a wonderful time and let me know if there’s anything I can help you with. Best wishes, Kate 220 words 34. You recently visited a place that had a strong impact on you. Write a letter to a friend about the place. In your letter explain where the place was and how you got there describe what you saw offer to take your friend there Dear Fatima, I hope you and your family are well. I have just returned from my visit to Pavia and it was every bit as amazing as I hoped it would be! As I mentioned in my previous letter, it’s in the desert about 50 kilometres from Muscat. We went by mini-van. There are no real roads to take you there, so the ride was quite slow and bumpy. Luckily, the 4x4 was quite sturdy and we didn’t have any mechanical problems. Much of the old town is still covered by sand, but a few of the more important buildings have been uncovered and it is possible to get a good impression of what the place must have been like during its heyday. The town’s mosque is particularly interesting and much of the tiling and artwork remains intact. Since you are student of Islamic art, you will love it. There’s another trip being planned for next weekend, so if you would like to come along, I can add your name to the list. Please come! It’ll be a lovely weekend and we can catch up on our news. Love, Sarah 186 words

35. Your American friends are going to a city you have just visited. Write a letter to them about your experiences there and make recommendations. In your letter: say what they should see and do there make recommendations about food and drink give any other recommendations you feel are appropriate. Dear Jack and Mary, Thank you for your recent letter. I’m so glad everything is well with you and the family. It’s a real surprise to discover that you are going to Prague, since Joyce and I have just come back from there! We spent a week in the city and really enjoyed ourselves. I’m sure you’ll pay a visit to the castle, which overlooks the city. It has numerous interesting buildings and several museums. The Charles Bridge is lovely, though it is under renovation at the moment and not quite as beautiful as usual. The views from the bridge a fantastic and there are many artists and entertainers there. We can also recommend the Old Town Square, which has several cafes and an open-air market. However, we suggest that you buy souvenirs in department stores whenever possible as the prices are much lower for exactly the same things! There are so many wonderful places to eat at. We found Czech cuisine both tasty and filling. If you go a little off the main tourist trails, you will find food at much lower prices. Most restaurants have budget lunch menus. Of course, the beer is out of this world, so it’s probably best to wait until evening for that, though it is very hard to resist one with lunch! We both hope you have a great time there. Be sure to tell us about any special places you find. Best wishes from us both, John Jones 246 words 36. You have booked a holiday for a member of your family and yourself. Unfortunately, your family member cannot now go with you. A friend of yours may be interested in the trip. Write a letter to him/her explaining the situation briefly describing the holiday and inviting him/her to go with you.

Dear Mary, As you know, I planned to go on holiday to New Zealand with my brother this autumn. Unfortunately, my brother will not now be able to go since he has recently been promoted at work and cannot afford to take time off. You said that you have wanted to go to New Zealand for a long time and I was wondering whether you would like to join me on this trip. Let me try to convince you with a brief description of the holiday we booked. We have booked a flight to Auckland on 3rd September, with a return flight on 25th September. We planned to drive from Auckland to some of the more interesting towns in New Zealand and to visit some of the nature reserves along the coast and in the mountain areas of the south island. We have booked accommodation in advance for most nights, but have deliberately left room for flexibility in our programme in case we find a place that’s particularly nice or interesting. I truly hope that you will be able to make this trip with me. Best wishes, Kate 183 words 37. A friend has agreed to look after your house and pet while you are on holiday. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter give contact details for when you are away give instructions about how to care for your pet describe other household duties Dear Sally, Thanks for agreeing to look after my house and Jessie while I’m on holiday. You can use my usual mobile phone number to contact me if necessary. I think you’ll find Jessie is an easy dog to care for. She is used to being let out into the back garden in the morning. If you have a lie in, she’ll jump onto your bed to let you know that she wants to go out! Like most dogs, she loves to go for a walk. You said that you were looking forward to doing some hiking, so I think you’ll enjoy each other’s company. If you take some water for her when you go hiking, she’ll appreciate it. I’ll give her a bath before I leave, so you don’t have to worry about that. There’s a box of treats in one of the kitchen cupboards. I’ll leave them to your discretion! If Jessie feels that she deserves one, she’ll sit in the kitchen looking at the cupboard! There’s nothing that needs to be done in the house, apart from watering the plants. I’ll water them

before I leave so if you could just give them a little extra mid-week, that’d be great. Thanks again and enjoy your long walks! Love, Maggie 208 words back to top Transport 38. You recently travelled by train and think that you left some of your possessions on the train. Write a letter to the lost property office of the main station and include the following information: the details of your journey a description of the lost items what you would like the office to do and any other relevant information. Dear Sir or Madam, On Friday, 13th June of this year, I travelled on the overnight train (No. 275) from Glasgow to London, departing from Glasgow at 23:45. When I got off the train in London, I think I may have left my briefcase on the train. I am writing to you to see whether my briefcase happens to have been found and handed in to your office. The briefcase itself is not particularly distinctive. It is black, made of leather, and scuffed from years of use. It has a small combination lock under the handle. There is nothing of particular value in the suitcase apart from my passport. The passport number is W192837 and was issued in Glasgow in September 1998. Aside from the passport, there are only some papers related to my university studies, some items of stationary, and two letters. I will not be returning to London in the foreseeable future. However, one of my housemates lives in London and would be happy to pick the briefcase up for me, assuming that it is at your office. Would be so kind as to check if my briefcase has been handed in. Please let me know whether it has or has not by calling me on (0237) 657483. Yours faithfully, Andrew Scott 214 words

39. There are plans to make your local airport bigger and increase the number of flights. You live near the airport. Write a letter to your local council. In your letter say where you live describe the problem say why you do not want the development to take place Dear Sir/Madam, I have just read in the local newspaper, ‘The Evening Times’, that there are plans to expand the local airport here in Winton and to increase the number of flights to and from it. I live on Sandford Road, which is very close to the airport and would like to take this opportunity to express my dismay at these plans. There are two main problems with the proposed expansion. First, there will be a lot more noise from arriving and departing aircraft. Second, there will be a massive surge in the amount of traffic using the nearby roads. Much of this traffic will consist of heavy goods vehicles that are not suited to the roads here. The newspaper article said that one of the aims of developing the airport is to provide employment in the locality, but this clearly not required as we already have full employment here. I sincerely hope that you will take into consideration the enormous problems that this development will cause for local residents and not allow it to take place. Yours faithfully, David Roberts 181 words 40. You have just come back from a long bus trip. You were unhappy with the service. Write a letter of complaint to the bus company stating your reason for writing the letter describing why you are unhappy making suggestions for improvement. Dear Sir/Madam, I have just returned home to London from a trip to Oxford on one of your coach trips. I travelled on the A200 service, departing from Oxford at 10 a.m. today, 12th April 2007. Unfortunately, I have to inform you that the experience was not pleasant and therefore I feel obliged to write to you to complain. First, there was a lack of legroom between seats. I am not a tall woman, but after an hour of travel I

had cramp in both legs. I have travelled on your coaches on the same route before without such difficulty, so I am reasonably sure that this coach was not one of the usual ones. Perhaps you could ensure that all coaches used by your company have sufficient legroom, even those that you only use on occasion. Secondly, many people ignored the “No Smoking” signs, and the bus was filled with smoke. I did ask the driver to make an announcement, but he said that he didn’t want to get involved in the issue. I asked a few passengers sitting near to me to stop smoking, but they refused, some rudely. Might I suggest that your company’s drivers strictly enforce the “No Smoking” rule on your buses. Yours faithfully, Kate Allen 205 words 41. There have been some problems with public transport in your area recently. Write to the manager of the local transport company. In your letter: describe the problems explain how they affect people where you live suggest some changes. Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to you with regard to problems with the public transport between Colesbury and Wigglesworth. The main problem is that several bus services have been cancelled in the past few weeks. This results in people being stranded in one or both towns, often forcing them to use expensive taxi services. We all understand that buses have mechanical difficulties from time to time, but the frequency of cancellations has been unusually high recently. Perhaps you could look into this matter and assure bus users that there will be a dramatic improvement in the very near future. Another issue is the bus shelter near 'The Apple Tree' public house. The shelter has a leaky roof and there is no seating for waiting passengers. The latter is not a problem for me, but there are several elderly people in the village who cannot stand for long periods. I have asked one of our local councillors about this and he tells me that a grant for repairing the shelter is available, but you must apply for it. I hope you will do this. Yours faithfully, Sid Black 181 words 42. You missed a flight due to a problem at the airport. Write a letter to the airline.

In your letter: say when and where the problem happened describe how you missed the flight say what you want the airline to do. Dear Sir/Madam, Last week, on 25th January, I was due to fly with your airline on flight number AB123 from Birmingham International Airport to Prague Ruzyne. I arrived at the airport in good time, but the check in staff insisted I open my checked in luggage because they claimed it contained forbidden items. It took while to go through everything and it was embarrassing to take everything out of my suitcase in front of other passengers. Of course, no forbidden items were found. Then the gate number printed on my boarding pass did not match the gate number on the departure board. When I queried this, I was told the gates shown on the departure board frequently change and I should go to the gate shown on my boarding card. When I got to the gate, I was told the number on the departure board was in fact correct. I was not the only passenger in this situation and we all missed the flight as a result. I had to book another flight at my own expense. Luckily I got a place on a flight that afternoon. I would like your airline to refund the cost of this flight and I feel that some further compensation my be due. I look forward to your reply. Yours faithfully, Carl Davies 213 words back to top Insurance and Banks 43. You hired a car from a company and while you are driving on holiday you had a small accident. You will have to write to the company to explain it. In your letter: say when and where you hired it describe how the accident happened say what action you took after the accident Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you to give an explanation of how a car I hired from your company came to be damaged and what action I took afterwards. I hired the car in Barcelona on 25th June and the hire agreement reference number is XYZ1234. I was driving in the mountains to Andorra with my family. There were patches of fog and the road had many sharp turns. Of course, I kept my speed down, but at one particularly sharp turn I hit the crash barrier at the side of the road. A headlight was broken and there was a little damage to the bodywork – bumps and scratches. Nobody in the car was injured. After the accident, I took some photographs of the damage and of the scene. From them, you can clearly see that the fog was particularly dense at the time, reducing visibility to a few metres, even with the headlights on. I also recorded the exact location using the GPS in the car. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me. Yours faithfully, Robert Brown 177 words 44. On a recent holiday you lost a valuable item. Fortunately you have travel insurance to cover the cost of anything lost. Write a letter to the manager of your insurance company. In your letter: describe the item you lost explain how you lost it tell the insurance company what you would like them to do Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to you with regard to an insurance claim. My insurance policy reference is XYZ1234. I took out the policy on 16th October 2011. I was staying at the Smithers Hotel in London on 25th February of this year when my laptop computer was stolen from my room (Room 501). I am enclosing a copy of the police report of the incident and a letter from the hotel manager, Mrs. Wilkins, in support of my claim. The stolen laptop was a Mini Micro X (black) and originally cost me $399 when I bought it last year. I am enclosing a receipt for the purchase. Although the thief has been caught and prosecuted by the police, the laptop has not been recovered and the police doubt that it will be. I hope that you will be able to accept my claim under the terms of the policy and can send me a cheque for the amount claimed. Yours faithfully, David Class 158 words 45. You have received a bank statement showing that the bank has deducted some money from your

account. You think that they have made a mistake. Write a letter to the bank including the following information: your account details and the possible problem with the statement what you think may have happened to cause the mistake what you would like the bank to do and any other relevant information. Dear Sir or Madam, This morning, I received my bank statement for the month of December and I believe that it may contain an error. For your reference, my account number 123 456 789 and is held at your branch. I believe that the error is with regard to the thirteenth item on the statement, listed as a cheque payment for £49:95 to Black’s Ltd. I am afraid I do not remember making any such payment. You will also notice that the cheque number (34-67-58-49-39) is unlike any of the other cheque numbers on the statement. Given that cheque numbers are in sequential order in cheque books, it would seem that there has been a mistake somewhere, and that this cheque has been added to my statement in error. I would be grateful if you could check this for me and either inform me in writing or by telephone of the outcome. My mobile telephone number is 0909 326 753. Obviously, I would like my account to be credited with the sum of £49:95 should it be found that a mistake has been made. Thank you in advance for dealing with this. Yours faithfully, Andrew Scott 196 words back to top General Social Situations 46. Your local newspaper had an advertisement asking people to help with environment projects in your area. Write a letter to the project manager to offer your help. In your letter: describe a local environmental issue in your area explain how you can help suggest how the problem could be avoided in future. Dear Mr. Green, I saw your advertisement in yesterday’s ‘Evening News’ asking for people to help with environmental projects. I live in the village of Closebury and I think that there is one environmental issue in the

locality that I could help with. As you may know, there is a canal that passes just to the west of the village. In recent years, it has become popular for people to holiday on canal boats. The mooring facilities at the canal side pub ‘The Apple Tree’ have brought a little extra money and tourism to the village. However, there is quite a lot of rubbish in the canal and alongside it. I propose that we arrange for this rubbish to be removed. I have some dredging equipment that we can use to get the rubbish out of the canal and it is relatively simple to pick up the rubbish from the paths along the canal. We could put up a few signs asking people not to dump rubbish in the canals and perhaps add a few waste bins to the paths. These measures might not totally prevent problems in the future but they should reduce them. I look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, Sid Black 198 words 47. For the past year you have been a member of a local club. Now you want to end your membership. Write a letter to the club secretary. In your letter: state what type of membership you have and how you have paid for this give details of how you have benefited from the club explain why you want to leave Dear Mr. Miller, It has been my pleasure to be a member of your tennis club for the past year. The facilities are outstanding and the staff are very efficient and attentive. Being a member has given me the opportunity to meet some extremely interesting people and make some valuable friends. When I first joined the club I could barely play tennis, but now my wife does not find it embarrassing to join me for a game of doubles! Unfortunately, I have to return to my home country on urgent business and I am afraid that I will not be able to return to Hawaii for several months, at the very least. Therefore, I must, with regret, discontinue my membership. My membership is an annual one and is due to expire in a few weeks anyway. I paid by credit card on an automatic renewal basis, so kindly arrange for this to be terminated before it is renewed. Let me assure you that, if my company sends me here again in the future, I will immediately renew my membership.

Yours sincerely, Hiroshi Yakamoto 176 words 48. You are preparing an outdoors event. Write a letter to your friend to ask for help with the arrangements. In your letter include: what the event is why the event will happen how your friend can help you Dear Jane, I hope you and the family are well. When we last spoke, I mentioned that a ‘Medieval Festival’ had been proposed. The idea behind it is to give people an idea of what medieval life would have been like. Well, the proposal passed and now we are planning the event, so I’m hoping that you’ll be able to help us, given that you studied medieval history. Several ideas have been put forward. Frank is planning on showing us some blacksmith’s skills. Dave wants to have an archery range. Martha is going to try to put a band together to play some medieval music, possibly with some dancing. I know that you are very interested in stained glass windows and have organised demonstrations of stained glass window making in the past. Would you like to do that at our event? Several people have asked me to get in touch with you about it, so I’m sure it would be popular. A few other people have also asked whether you could check the authenticity of their costumes for the event. I forgot to mention that the event will be on the last weekend of August – the weekend I told you it would probably be held on. I hope you are still free that weekend. Hope to hear from you soon! Love, Christine 218 words 49. Write a letter to your local newspaper about a great restaurant in your area that you have been to recently. In your letter say where the restaurant is, say what kind of food you ate there explain what other things impressed you about the restaurant.

Dear Sir/Madam, I would like to comment on a wonderful new restaurant that has opened on Main Street – The Curry House. Generally speaking, I’m not keen on Indian food, but my son and daughter-in-law convinced me to give it a try and I’m so glad they did. We sampled a variety of curries, from mild to the very hot. I particularly recommend the korma dishes. We had chicken, lamb and beef and in all cases the meat was tender and the sauces were full of flavour. I was also pleased to see that the range of drinks included beers from India. I enjoyed two cold bottles of Kingfisher, a light, refreshing brew. It was also nice not to have to pay extra for water, which has become common at many restaurants in recent years. The prices were reasonable, considering the quality of the food and the generous portions. The service was excellent, with the wait staff being attentive yet unobtrusive. Yours faithfully, John Jones (164 words) 50. Your local library wants to improve its services and facilities. Write a letter to the library. In your letter you should: explain who you are make your suggestions and explain how this would make the library better. Dear Sir/Madam, I was very glad to read in our local newspaper, ‘The Evening World’ yesterday that the library intends to improve its services and facilities and is inviting suggestions from the public. I am a local resident and regular user of the library, so I am writing this letter to put forward my suggestions. My first suggestion is that the library open a little earlier in the mornings and remain open into the evenings. I realise that this will place an added burden on staff, but there are many members of the community who cannot use the library as much as they would like because they work during the day. Longer opening hours might also help to ease crowding at popular times. I would also like to suggest that the library buy some new copies of classics by writers such as Shakespeare, Dickens and the Bronte sisters. I have heard many young people say that they are interested in reading such books after seeing the excellent film versions made by the BBC on television. I really think that this would attract more young people to the library and allow them to

appreciate literature more. Yours faithfully, Kate Allen 193 words 51. You live in a house opposite a park. Every day a man brings large dogs to the park and lets them run free. Write a letter to your local council complaining about the danger. In your letter say where the park is, say how often this happens give a description of the man and the dogs. Dear Councillor Smith, I am writing to you to see if you would be able to deal with a problem at the park across the street from where I live. I live on Ford Street and the park is Green Park. The problem is that every day, a young man brings two large Dobermans to the park and allows them to run free, off the leash. Obviously, this is a potential danger to other people who use the park. Although I have not seen the dogs cause any injuries, they frequently frighten children there and cause concern to their parents. I have contacted the police, but they have not taken action, despite the fact that signs clearly state that dogs must be kept on leads. The man appears to be in his late 20s, average height and well built. He usually wears a black leather jacket and blue jeans. His dogs are about a metre high, black and brown and well groomed. I hope that you will be able to take care of this matter. Yours sincerely, John Jones (179 words) back to top Bonus Letter 52. You recently took an IELTS test and there were some problems that you believe affected your score. Write a letter to the British Council or IDP. In your letter: explain what happened say if other candidates were affected

and explain what you would like the BC/IDP to do. Dear Sir/Madam, I took an IELTS test on 1st April at the Kashgar test centre. During the test, there were three problems that I believe may have affected my score in three parts of the test and, therefore, my overall score. First of all, during the listening test, the recording was too quiet and it appears that the sound was lost completely in some parts. The invigilation staff tried to rectify this, but they were unsuccessful. Secondly, during the reading test, I discovered that my reading booklet did not contain all the pages. When I asked one of the invigilators for a fresh, complete copy, she said that there were no extra copies available. This means that I could not answer at least six of the reading test questions. Finally, during part two of the speaking test, the examiner took away the cue card while I was speaking. I have been told by several people that the examiner must not do this. I hope that you can look into these matters. In the first two cases, I was not the only candidate affected. Everyone in the room (about 40 or 50 candidates) had the same problem. As for the third problem, I do not know if any other candidates encountered this issue. Therefore, I would like to ask you to provide me with another test as soon as possible, free of charge. Yours faithfully, Li Kun (Candidate number X203908) 230 words About the Author Mark Griffiths began teaching English in 1990 and has worked mainly in the Czech Republic and China. He first qualified as an IELTS examiner in 2001 and has had several IELTS books published in China. Several books, such as this one, are about the IELTS speaking and writing modules. Others are part of the English 101 Series – a range of books published in the first half of 2013. Some of these books are specific to IELTS whereas others are of use to all people studying English as a foreign language. Mark can be found presenting the pub quiz at ‘The Goose and Duck’ (a.k.a. ‘Frank’s) near his home in Beijing on Wednesday evenings. http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/markgriffiths (My Smashwords author page.) https://www.facebook.com/ieltsbookmark (A page about my publications.)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/610056515743734/ (A group dedicated to IELTS speaking and writing questions.) https://www.facebook.com/pages/IELTS-Questions/654108384647546?ref=hl (A page for general questions about IELTS.) back to top