51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1

Mark Griffiths

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Copyright 2014 Mark Griffiths

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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 aletter to the accommodation officer including the following information:the type of accommodation you wish to findsome details about yourselfany special requirements you may haveand 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 youruniversity, starting this September, and am writing to you with regard to arranging foraccommodation. 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, eachstudent having his/her own room, ideally within a 30-minute walk of the university. I have budgetedfor rent of £20 per week. If possible, I would like to remain in the same accommodation for the entireduration of my course, i.e. two academic years. I do not have any special requirements, but would prefer to share the accommodation with studentsmy age (I am 25) who are actively interested in sport. I myself am a keen rugby player. I do not mindwhether 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 moveddescribe the new houseinvite 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 gardenfor us to relax in. The attic has also been converted for use as storage space, which my wife is veryhappy 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 aswe are on the outskirts of town it is easy to get to the country. I’m sure you would enjoy yourself. Weall 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 arenot satisfied with the condition of some of the furniture. Write a letter to your landlord. In your letteryou should:introduce yourselfexplain what is wrong with the furnitureand 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. Weare happy here and would like to thank you for all the help you have given us. However, recently wehave noticed that the quality of the furniture has deteriorated. In particular, the sofa and armchairs aretorn and should be repaired or changed. Under the terms of our lease, this constitutes normal wear and tear and it is the landlord’sresponsibility to take care of the matter financially. We would therefore be grateful if you wouldeither arrange to have the sofa and armchairs repaired or replaced. Alternatively, under the terms ofthe lease, I could buy some new replacement furniture and deduct the cost from the next rentalpayment. Either option is acceptable to us. Please inform me as soon as convenient which of theseoptions 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 otherstudents from the school. You have not had hot water or heating for some time. The landlord’sworkmen 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 problemspropose 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 youhave sent workmen to rectify the situation, but the fact is that they have been unsuccessful, despitespending 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, bothof these are really quite old. Therefore, we think that the boiler and heating system need to bereplaced, rather than relying on repairs that do not work or may only keep them in working order for alimited time. One of us has a friend who works part-time for a plumbing company. His friend and his colleagueshave taken a look at the problem and they have provided us with a quote for the necessary work. Theprice seems very reasonable and they are sure that they can get the work done by the end of nextweek. We hope that you will agree to this solution as we enjoy living here and we think that you want to beas 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 problemswith this and you find it difficult to work. Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college.In the letterdescribe the situationexplain the problems and why it is difficult to worksay 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 livewith my current room-mate. There are two main issues. First of all, she enjoys playing music at high volume. This is somethingthat 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 theevening. 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 forcedto work in the library which is not always convenient. Besides, the rent agreement for collegeaccommodation clearly states that students must refrain from making too much noise and not havevisitors late in the evenings. If it is not possible to move my room-mate out, then I would like to request similar accommodation tothat 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 oneof your friends. In your letter:ask them for help finding accommodationtell them where you would like to livetell 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 yourrelationship 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 findingsome 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 downtownwhere I’ll be working. I’m looking for something small – a one bedroom place will be big enough. I don’t have too muchstuff to bring with me and, besides, we all know how expensive accommodation is in New York. Idon’t mind which floor it’s on or even if it faces onto the street – I sleep like a log! If you know ofanything 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 managerabout this. Write a letter to your manager.In your letter:explain why you want to take time off workgive details of the amount of time you needsuggest 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 marketingtechniques and I would like to ask you for a day off work to make this presentation, which isscheduled for next Friday. Although my presentation would not last all day, I think I should be therefor 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 callsand 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 tobring 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 letterexplain the situationdescribe 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 myinterview last month. We have already discussed the start date for my employment and agreed uponthe first of next month. However, I would like to ask you if it is possible to postpone this start date bya 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 closestliving relative. I would like to apologise for any trouble or difficulties that this may cause you and I hope that youwill be able to keep the job open for me for another two weeks. I would be very grateful if you couldlet 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 yourmanager of your decision.In your letter:tell the manager your decision and the reasondescribe what you have learnt in your current jobask 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 – ABCElectronics. This decision follows the announcement by management last month that the Research andDevelopment Department here at XYZ Electronics would be scaled down and most staff moved toother departments. I have really enjoyed working here. I have learnt a lot about research and development strategies andmanagement. My colleagues and bosses have been wonderful to work with and I have truly learntwhat great teamwork can achieve. As Mr. Johnson pointed out at the meeting where the announcement was made, it is only to beexpected 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 ofreference. If you could let me have the letter by the end of this week, that would be lovely, as I havean 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 jobdescribe the problems that you experiencedsuggest 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 workingfor 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 bepurely administrative. In other words, I was told that I would be working in an office environmentrather than on the factory floor. When I arrived for my first day of work, I was asked to work in thefactory just for one day to cover for an absent worker. However, I have now been there for over aweek. 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 towork 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 yourselfexplain what sort of job you would likeand 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 beconsidered for suitable part-time work. I am foreign student, from Vietnam, studying Computer Science. As you are probably aware, thecurrent regulations allow me to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week. I am really looking for apart-time job related to computing, but as those jobs may be scarce, I am also happy to consider suchthings 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 sellingcomputer 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 haveask what the work involvesenquire 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 EveningNews’ yesterday. I am 20 years old and am currently studying at City University. I will have a three month holiday overthe summer, so this job would be perfect. I already have experience as a porter. I worked as one lastsummer at the International Hotel in Venice. I am attaching a letter of recommendation from themanager 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 amile 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 fromhotel to hotel. Also, are staff meals provided during shifts or should I bring my own food? Finally, isa 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 businessexplain why you think it is a good idea andask 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. Yousuggested 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 couldstart would be a computer consultancy service, since I have worked with computers for a long whileand know many people who require such a service. Yesterday, we visited our bank manager todiscuss 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 alreadybeen through this. We don’t expect you to do this for free! My wife and I would be happy to pay youto 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 aletter of recommendation for him/her.In your letter you should say:how long you have known your friendsomething about your friend’s personalityand 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 yourorganisation. 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 anyactivities, 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 thebest of their ability. I think that she would make an excellent employee for your organisation because she has experienceof working with teenagers from many different countries and because she speaks several languagesquite well. In addition, she has had first aid training which is always useful when working with youngpeople 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 forsome details about yourselfyour academic suitability for the scholarshipand 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 historyat your university. . I am currently in the first year of my B.A. in History at your university. I wouldlike to apply for this scholarship due to unforeseen financial constraints which may otherwise forceme to abandon my studies. I am sure you will agree that I have contributed to extra-curricular activities at this university. I playon the football team which got to the final of the University Cup this season. I also run Marathons andwill 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 todeal 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 thenear 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 feespossible scholarshipsand 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 codeMIL002) at your university. I would by grateful if you would provide me with some information atyour earliest convenience. First, I need to ensure that my current qualifications are acceptable for study on this course. I alreadyhave a Bachelor’s degree in Law from a Chinese university and last year I achieved a band of 7.5 inthe IELTS test. Second, could you tell me the cost of the tuition fees? I would also like to know whether there are anyscholarships 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 oncampus in a single room. If such rooms are available, would you send me prices so that I can see ifthey 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. Writea letter to the college.In your letter you should say:which course you are interested in and whydescribe your educational background and work experienceand 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. Ilooked online at your website and I think that your college would be a good place for me to studysince it is near to Heathrow Airport and because I have another friend living nearby, in Woking, fromwhere 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, Ihave aspirations to develop my career with this company and I therefore believe that this coursewould be beneficial. I have a degree in Financial Management from Hamburg University. I graduated three years ago andinitially worked in the Finance Department of Siemens in Hamburg, before moving to my current jobat Libor Financial last September. I am attaching a more detailed resume with this letter and look forward to hearing from you in thenear 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 doa 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 planstell him/her what type of work or studies you have been doing recentlyand 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 InternationalRelations course here in Oxford. We’ve been looking at Russian foreign policy quite extensively. It’scertainly 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 toInternational Law, but I would appreciate your advice first. If you know anything about that course orany other that you think might be of interest to me, could you send me a few details? Furthermore, ifyou 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 thatyou cannot continue taking the course. Write a letter to the course tutor.In your letter you should:describe the situationexplain why you cannot continue the coursesay 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 atthe adult education centre. I am really enjoying the course, but unfortunately will be unable to finish itsince I have to complete a project at work. This project is very important to the company as itinvolves a major expansion of our activities. My boss has told me that the project must be finished bythe end of this month and so I will have to put in some extra work in the evenings and at theweekends. I have checked with the adult education centre and they tell me that you will be beginning a newcourse in six weeks time. I have already signed up for this course and look forward to your lessons. Ihope you don’t mind too much that I have had to do this and I would like to thank you for all yourhelp. Yours sincerely, David Roberts 167 words 20. You are going to travel to London for about one week and spend two days visiting the LondonLibrary. You are studying for a project and want to do some background studies.Write a letter to the head of the library. In your letterexplain what your project is about,say what studies you want to do at the librarysay what facilities you need to use. Dear Sir/Madam, I am a student from Shanghai University currently researching diplomatic relations between China andBritain in the 19th century. I understand that you have several documents relating to this at your libraryand 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 daysstudying the documents if possible. I have not made any firm plans yet, so am flexible as to whichdays 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 availableat 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 alocal museum or tourist attraction for some of your students. Write a letter to the manager of themuseum or tourist attraction.In your letter you should:say who you are and which school you teach atsay why the school would like the students to visit the museum/attractionask 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 visitto 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 factthat your museum focuses on local history should help the students to realise that history is not anabstract 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 haveand intend to have in October. If you could let me know whether guided tours are available for schoolgroups, I would be very grateful. We have not yet decided on an exact date, but we are looking at theend 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 cheapsecond-hand furniture. Write to the shop owner. In your letter:describe what you needask whether they have these itemsand ask what they cost. Dear Sir/Madam, I have recently moved into an unfurnished flat in King Street and a friend suggested that your shopmight have some suitable second-hand furniture for sale. I passed by your shop earlier today, but itwas 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. Ialso need a sofa for 2-3 people and an armchair. They do not need to match. Furthermore, I’d like awardrobe about three feet wide. If it has some extra shelves in it, that would be a bonus. Finally, Iwill also require a desk. This should be about the same size as the coffee table. I’m not particularabout 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 theprice 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 shopowner.In your letter ask:if they have the things you want or if they can order themwhat the prices areand 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 themoment, 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 attachmentspack. 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 awayon 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 beingrepaired, 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 shopwhy you are not satisfied with the serviceand 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 HighStreet, Newtown). The computer was having problems with freezing during everyday use. One of theshop assistants asked a few questions about the problem and told me that the fault could be fixedwithin a few days. He suggested that I collect my laptop on the following Tuesday, which I did. Thecharge was $19.95. However, when I returned home and switched on the laptop, I soon discovered that the problem hadnot been solved, as the computer froze once again within a few minutes of being turned on. When Itook the laptop back to the branch the following day, I was told that there was nothing that could bedone. 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 berepaired 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 theshop but no action was taken. Write a letter to the shop manager.In your letter:describe the problem with the equipmentexplain what happened when you phoned the shopsay 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 Igot home and tried it out, it did not work. I tried various settings and consulted the manual foroperating instructions, but without any success. I decided to telephone your shop and was placed on hold for ten minutes before the call wasterminated without explanation. I called again and after a further ten minute wait was connected witha salesman. I am not sure whether he understood my problem, but he told me that he couldn’t doanything 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 tobe replaced or provide me with a refund. I am attaching a photocopy of the receipt with this letter. Iwould 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 youtook 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 followinginformation:the problem with the laptopwhat exactly happened when you returned to the shopwhat you would like the customer service department to doand any other relevant information. Dear Sir or Madam, I recently bought a Komputa 2000 laptop computer at your Henley branch. However, within a fewdays, I began to experience problems with it. The main problems were that a few of the programsinstalled on it ceased to function and that the laptop refused to accept any discs, even though thesediscs 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 warrantyprovided 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, thestaff 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 becomplete and valid. I enclose a photocopy for you to check. I would like to arrange for my faultylaptop to be exchanged or for my money to be refunded. Please contact me when you have lookedinto 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 acompany that sells advertising materials.In your letter you should say:who you are and which company you work forhow you discovered their companywhat advertising materials you need. Dear Mrs. Finch, I am in charge of advertising for a small company in Wigglesworth named 'Park Entertainments'. Weoperate three gastropubs in the area. We are currently looking for a company to provide us with someadvertising materials to use at our locations. A friend told me about your company and I thought Iwould 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 logoon them. Then, we need some t-shirts for our staff and some additional ones that we can give away toclients. 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 atwhat prices, I would be most grateful. Naturally, we anticipate using the same supplier in the futureand 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 aletter to your friend.In your letter:say how you feel about the visitsuggest what you could do on his/her birthdayask 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 foryou. As we discussed, I have planned a few activities for us. The Philippines is a great place for scubadiving and many of the best spots are near to lovely beaches. We can also go hiking in a naturereserve 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 partyat 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, pleaselet 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 thenoise may disturb your neighbour. Write a letter to your neighbour.In your letter you should:introduce yourselfdescribe your plans for the partyand 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 amwriting to tell you that we will be holding a small housewarming party and we would like to inviteyou and your family. The party will be held on Saturday during the late afternoon and early evening, starting at around 5p.m. We do not intend for the party to continue late into the evening as we are concerned that thismight disturb you and other neighbours. As we are new to the neighbourhood, we certainly would notlike 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 tojoin us, it is not necessary to bring anything with you. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday andsincerely 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 localrestaurant.In your letter you should:reserve a room for the partyexplain your requirementsand 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 privaterooms for hire. If possible, I would like to reserve a room for Tuesday, May 12th, from 6 p.m. to 10p.m. The room should seat thirty people, but it is not necessary to have everyone seated at a single table. Infact, it would be ideal if we could have five or six tables. As for the food, we would like to have abuffet with both hot and cold dishes. Please not that there will be three or four vegetarians in ourgroup. We will also need a bar or a drinks table. Finally, a few birthday decorations would be muchappreciated. 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 yoursuggestions 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 leavingparty for him/her. Reply to your manager.In your letter you should:suggest a suitable day and time for the partyrecommend a venue/placedescribe 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 sinceshe 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 overdoesit, 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 familiarwith it, given that we often go there after work for a quick pint. Secondly, they have a small functionroom upstairs. I've had a chat with the landlord and he's happy to let us use it for a few hours free ofcharge, since we're regulars. I also asked the landlord about some snacks and he said that he can lay on plenty of sandwiches andsome finger food for a reasonable price. As for a bit of entertainment, I had a word with Sheila andMike, who are in a band. They can sing a few songs for us and then we just have something playing inthe 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 successand 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 atmospheresuggest any improvements to make things betterand 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 thegroup from ABC Electronics who were there last Wednesday. Everyone agreed that the food was delicious! The prawn salad for the starter was simple, but tastyand not overpowered by the vinaigrette. We were very impressed with the way that you could providesome of us with small portions of 2 or 3 desserts together. Several people couldn’t choose betweenthe offerings and this meant they could indulge themselves a little. There was a small mix-up as one ofour group was a vegetarian and this important piece of information had been lost somewhere alongthe 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 willcontact you soon about arrangements for that. We hope that the guitarist will be there – she reallyadded 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 youthink she might enjoy visiting. Write a letter to your friend.In your letter you should:briefly describe the attractions of this placerecommend accommodationand 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 tolose much money! The nightclubs are really worth visiting as they often have great shows. I alsosuggest 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 MainStreet 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 onlyneed to take light clothes with you. However, it’s worth taking a sweater just in case. Take a pair ofsunglasses and a hat, particularly if you decide to go to Death Valley. I’d recommend takingtraveller’s checks because if they are lost or stolen, you can get them replaced easily. Lots ofrestaurants 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 letterexplain where the place was and how you got theredescribe what you sawoffer 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 bitas 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 bymini-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 beenuncovered and it is possible to get a good impression of what the place must have been like during itsheyday. The town’s mosque is particularly interesting and much of the tiling and artwork remainsintact. 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 addyour 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 yourexperiences there and make recommendations.In your letter:say what they should see and do theremake recommendations about food and drinkgive 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 backfrom 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 buildingsand several museums. The Charles Bridge is lovely, though it is under renovation at the moment andnot quite as beautiful as usual. The views from the bridge a fantastic and there are many artists andentertainers 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 aremuch 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 goa little off the main tourist trails, you will find food at much lower prices. Most restaurants havebudget lunch menus. Of course, the beer is out of this world, so it’s probably best to wait until evening for that, though it isvery 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 familymember cannot now go with you. A friend of yours may be interested in the trip.Write a letter to him/herexplaining the situationbriefly describing the holidayand 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 affordto take time off. You said that you have wanted to go to New Zealand for a long time and I waswondering whether you would like to join me on this trip. Let me try to convince you with a briefdescription of the holiday we booked. We have booked a flight to Auckland on 3rd September, with a return flight on 25th September. Weplanned to drive from Auckland to some of the more interesting towns in New Zealand and to visitsome of the nature reserves along the coast and in the mountain areas of the south island. We havebooked accommodation in advance for most nights, but have deliberately left room for flexibility inour 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 lettergive contact details for when you are awaygive instructions about how to care for your petdescribe other household duties Dear Sally, Thanks for agreeing to look after my house and Jessie while I’m on holiday. You can use my usualmobile 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 inthe 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 somehiking, so I think you’ll enjoy each other’s company. If you take some water for her when you gohiking, 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 inone 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. Writea letter to the lost property office of the main station and include the following information:the details of your journeya description of the lost itemswhat you would like the office to doand 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 toLondon, departing from Glasgow at 23:45. When I got off the train in London, I think I may have leftmy briefcase on the train. I am writing to you to see whether my briefcase happens to have been foundand handed in to your office.The briefcase itself is not particularly distinctive. It is black, made of leather, and scuffed from yearsof 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 isW192837 and was issued in Glasgow in September 1998. Aside from the passport, there are onlysome 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 inLondon 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 hasor 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 livenear the airport.Write a letter to your local council. In your lettersay where you livedescribe the problemsay 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 localairport 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 atthese plans. There are two main problems with the proposed expansion. First, there will be a lot more noise fromarriving and departing aircraft. Second, there will be a massive surge in the amount of traffic usingthe nearby roads. Much of this traffic will consist of heavy goods vehicles that are not suited to theroads here. The newspaper article said that one of the aims of developing the airport is to provide employment inthe 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 developmentwill 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 letterof complaint to the bus companystating your reason for writing the letterdescribing why you are unhappymaking 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 onthe A200 service, departing from Oxford at 10 a.m. today, 12th April 2007. Unfortunately, I have toinform you that the experience was not pleasant and therefore I feel obliged to write to you tocomplain. 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 suchdifficulty, so I am reasonably sure that this coach was not one of the usual ones. Perhaps you couldensure that all coaches used by your company have sufficient legroom, even those that you only use onoccasion. Secondly, many people ignored the “No Smoking” signs, and the bus was filled with smoke. I did askthe driver to make an announcement, but he said that he didn’t want to get involved in the issue. Iasked a few passengers sitting near to me to stop smoking, but they refused, some rudely. Might Isuggest 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 managerof the local transport company.In your letter:describe the problemsexplain how they affect people where you livesuggest some changes. Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to you with regard to problems with the public transport between Colesbury andWigglesworth. The main problem is that several bus services have been cancelled in the past fewweeks. This results in people being stranded in one or both towns, often forcing them to useexpensive 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 thismatter 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 andthere is no seating for waiting passengers. The latter is not a problem for me, but there are severalelderly people in the village who cannot stand for long periods. I have asked one of our localcouncillors about this and he tells me that a grant for repairing the shelter is available, but you mustapply 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 happeneddescribe how you missed the flightsay 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 fromBirmingham International Airport to Prague Ruzyne. I arrived at the airport in good time, but the check in staff insisted I open my checked in luggagebecause they claimed it contained forbidden items. It took while to go through everything and it wasembarrassing to take everything out of my suitcase in front of other passengers. Of course, noforbidden items were found. Then the gate number printed on my boarding pass did not match the gate number on the departureboard. When I queried this, I was told the gates shown on the departure board frequently change and Ishould go to the gate shown on my boarding card. When I got to the gate, I was told the number on thedeparture board was in fact correct. I was not the only passenger in this situation and we all missedthe flight as a result. I had to book another flight at my own expense. Luckily I got a place on a flight that afternoon. Iwould like your airline to refund the cost of this flight and I feel that some further compensation my bedue. 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 itdescribe how the accident happenedsay 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 bedamaged and what action I took afterwards. I hired the car in Barcelona on 25th June and the hireagreement reference number is XYZ1234. I was driving in the mountains to Andorra with my family. There were patches of fog and the road hadmany sharp turns. Of course, I kept my speed down, but at one particularly sharp turn I hit the crashbarrier 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 canclearly see that the fog was particularly dense at the time, reducing visibility to a few metres, evenwith 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 thecost of anything lost. Write a letter to the manager of your insurance company. In your letter:describe the item you lostexplain how you lost ittell 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. Itook 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 enclosinga copy of the police report of the incident and a letter from the hotel manager, Mrs. Wilkins, insupport 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 thepolice, 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 acheque 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 statementwhat you think may have happened to cause the mistakewhat you would like the bank to doand 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 maycontain 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 chequepayment for £49:95 to Black’s Ltd. I am afraid I do not remember making any such payment. You willalso notice that the cheque number (34-67-58-49-39) is unlike any of the other cheque numbers on thestatement. Given that cheque numbers are in sequential order in cheque books, it would seem thatthere 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 ofthe outcome. My mobile telephone number is 0909 326 753. Obviously, I would like my account to becredited 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 inyour area. Write a letter to the project manager to offer your help.In your letter:describe a local environmental issue in your areaexplain how you can helpsuggest 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 environmentalprojects. 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 hasbecome 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 forthis rubbish to be removed. I have some dredging equipment that we can use to get the rubbish out ofthe canal and it is relatively simple to pick up the rubbish from the paths along the canal. We couldput up a few signs asking people not to dump rubbish in the canals and perhaps add a few waste binsto the paths. These measures might not totally prevent problems in the future but they should reducethem. 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 yourmembership. Write a letter to the club secretary.In your letter:state what type of membership you have and how you have paid for thisgive details of how you have benefited from the clubexplain 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 areoutstanding and the staff are very efficient and attentive. Being a member has given me the opportunityto meet some extremely interesting people and make some valuable friends. When I first joined theclub I could barely play tennis, but now my wife does not find it embarrassing to join me for a gameof doubles! Unfortunately, I have to return to my home country on urgent business and I am afraid that I will not beable 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 weeksanyway. I paid by credit card on an automatic renewal basis, so kindly arrange for this to beterminated before it is renewed. Let me assure you that, if my company sends me here again in the future, I will immediately renew mymembership.

Yours sincerely, Hiroshi Yakamoto 176 words 48. You are preparing an outdoors event. Write a letter to your friend to ask for help with thearrangements.In your letter include:what the event iswhy the event will happenhow 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’ hadbeen proposed. The idea behind it is to give people an idea of what medieval life would have beenlike. Well, the proposal passed and now we are planning the event, so I’m hoping that you’ll be ableto help us, given that you studied medieval history. Several ideas have been put forward. Frank is planning on showing us some blacksmith’s skills. Davewants to have an archery range. Martha is going to try to put a band together to play some medievalmusic, possibly with some dancing. I know that you are very interested in stained glass windows andhave organised demonstrations of stained glass window making in the past. Would you like to do thatat our event? Several people have asked me to get in touch with you about it, so I’m sure it would bepopular. A few other people have also asked whether you could check the authenticity of theircostumes for the event. I forgot to mention that the event will be on the last weekend of August – the weekend I told you itwould 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 torecently.In your lettersay where the restaurant is,say what kind of food you ate thereexplain 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 CurryHouse. Generally speaking, I’m not keen on Indian food, but my son and daughter-in-law convinced me togive it a try and I’m so glad they did. We sampled a variety of curries, from mild to the very hot. Iparticularly recommend the korma dishes. We had chicken, lamb and beef and in all cases the meatwas 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 coldbottles 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. Theservice 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 aremake your suggestionsand 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 libraryintends to improve its services and facilities and is inviting suggestions from the public. I am a localresident 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 theevenings. I realise that this will place an added burden on staff, but there are many members of thecommunity 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 asShakespeare, Dickens and the Bronte sisters. I have heard many young people say that they areinterested in reading such books after seeing the excellent film versions made by the BBC ontelevision. 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 themrun free. Write a letter to your local council complaining about the danger.In your lettersay where the park is,say how often this happensgive 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 streetfrom 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 themto 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 causeconcern to their parents. I have contacted the police, but they have not taken action, despite the factthat 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 leatherjacket 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 yourscore. Write a letter to the British Council or IDP.In your letter:explain what happenedsay 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 problemsthat 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 lostcompletely 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 extracopies 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 havebeen 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 candidateaffected. Everyone in the room (about 40 or 50 candidates) had the same problem. As for the thirdproblem, I do not know if any other candidates encountered this issue. Therefore, I would like to askyou 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 andChina. 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 ofthe 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 inBeijing 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.)

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