Below is a sample letter for Task 1 of the General IELTS Writing Section. It is a semi-formal letter, which can be identified in several ways:
- the tone, which is a mix of formality plus warmth
- the use of the last names (Dear Mr Shah)
- the absence of contractions
- the use of formal expressions (I would appreciate it if…)
- the closing salutation (Yours sincerely)
WRITING TASK 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You have been living in a rental apartment for the past year. Recently a new neighbour moved in and has been making a lot of noise, which disturbs you.
Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:
- explain the situation
- describe why it bothers you
- suggest a solution
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear __________
Dear Mr Shah
I hope you and your family are all well. I am writing in connection with a problem I have with the new tenant, Jack, who has moved in downstairs. Unfortunately, his habits and needs appear to be quite different from my own.
The issue is that Jack is a professional musician who plays his electric guitar late into the night. I understand he is in a band and needs to practice; however, I think he cannot do so in a residential building such as ours. As I mentioned to you when I signed the lease to the apartment, I am a full-time writer who works from home. For me, it is essential to have silence so I can concentrate on my work. With Jack playing at all hours, I have been unable to get any of my writing done, except when he is out. In some cases, I have even been forced to leave the apartment and work at a nearby coffee shop or library as the guitar playing was causing such a disturbance.
I would appreciate it if you could speak to Jack and ask him to turn down the volume on his guitar or else to use headphones. I have spoken to him about it, but to no avail. I will let you know as soon as the situation improves.
Thank you kindly in advance and please give my best regards to your family,
Yours sincerely,
Meg Snyder
(234 words)
