Band score 8/9 IELTS Letter Sample 

(Formal
Letter)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You recently ordered a small item online but when it arrived it was unusable.
Write a letter to the company that sold you the item. In the letter:
 give details about the order you made
 explain what was wrong with the item
 tell the company what you want them to do about it
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Band 8/9 Sample Answer:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Last Monday I ordered a cover for my HTC phone from your eCommerce website. I was excited
when it arrived but very disappointed to find that the product was not as promised and totally
unusable. I am hoping you will replace it.

In relation to the specifics of the order, I purchased this leather cover through your website
called Electric Gadgets on November 08th using my PayPal account. The order number is
2584205 and I am attaching a copy of my receipt with this letter.

The issue with the cover is that it is not a genuine leather product and I am unable to store my
phone inside it securely. The picture of the item on your website clearly shows the cover
supports the HTC Desire 12+ model and is an original leather product. So I’m sure this is a
manufacturing flaw.

As a solution, and because I really like the design and look of the cover, I am hoping that you
will agree to replace it with a new and genuine one for free. Otherwise, I would like a full
refund and I will be contacting PayPal complaints if I do not hear back from you in regards to
this within a week.

Thank you for giving the matter your attention and I hope to hear your reply soon.

Yours faithfully,

John Smith
Band score 8/9 IELTS Letter Sample (Informal
Letter)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
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 on how to care for your pet
 describe other household duties
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ............,
Band 8/9 Sample Answer:

Dear Cynthia,

Thank you for agreeing to house-sit for me. If you need to contact me while I'm away, I’ll be
staying at The Merrion Hotel, Merrion Square in Dublin. If it’s urgent, however, please call me
on my mobile phone, which I’ll keep with me at all times. I’ve written the numbers on a sticky
note which I’ve left on the fridge.

My cat needs to be fed twice daily -morning and evening. So each morning and evening put a
handful of cat food in his dish and fresh water in his water pot. You will find the food in a jar in
the kitchen cupboard. Please check throughout the day to make sure he drinks plenty of fresh
water. You can give him a small bowl of milk in the evening but do it every other day.

I would like you to water my plants, too. The indoor ones in the lounge only need water twice a
week but the plants on the balcony need to be watered daily except on rainy days. Finally, for
security, please lock the door and shut the windows before you go to bed. Also, clear my
mailbox every day and keep the outside lights on at night.

I look forward to seeing you on my return.

Warm wishes,

Donna 
Band score 8/9 IELTS Letter Sample (Semi-formal
Letter)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Your neighbours have recently written to you to complain about the noise
from your houseflat.
Write a letter to your neighbours. In your letter,
 explain the reason for the noise
 apologise for the noise
 describe what action you will take
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ............,
Band 8/9 Sample Answer:

Dear Mr and Mrs Williams,

I am writing in regards to the complaint I have received from you recently. My sincere apology
for the inconvenience and problem caused due to my actions and I assure you that I will be
more careful in the future about it.

I started learning the piano recently. As you may know, I work full-time and the only free time I
am able to dedicate to my classes is weekends. I have hired a piano teacher to teach me during
the weekends and I am sorry that the noise reached your flat.

I am sorry about the inconvenience I caused to you and Mrs Williamds. I did not expect the
sound of my piano to be so loud and reach your rooms. I totally understand your position and
request you to accept my sincere apologies.

As a solution, I have decided that I will continue my piano classes at my tutor's house instead
of mine. This way I would be able to continue my practice and not disrupt you.

I hope this unpleasant situation hasn’t hurt our friendship.

Yours sincerely,

Alfred Harris