This week we will look at how to write a formal letter for your IELTS general task 1 in the IELTS Exam.

Take a look at the following steps to help you understand the question and write a structured letter. The example we look at in this tutorial is about writing a formal letter making a request to change your college.

Letter Question about Changing your college – a more formal letter

It is an example of a formal letter written to someone in authority – the director of a college. I will give you a model answer as well as giving you some advice on the structure of the letter and the appropriate vocabulary to use to make the letter more formal.

Understanding the letter question

You are doing a course at a college that has centres in two different cities. You want to change from one to the other because it offers an additional course that interests you. Write a letter to the college director requesting the change to the other centre. You should include details about:

* what course you are doing now

* why you want to change to the other centre

* what recommendation you have for the college for the future

The focus of the letter

You must write about each topic in the question but it is not necessary to write the same amount about each topic. In this question, I would suggest that you focus especially on the reasons why you want to change and then what recommendation you have.

Think about who you are writing to

This is a fairly formal letter: you are writing to someone you have met but probably do not know very well and that person is in authority. This means that:

* your language should be more formal

* you need to be polite

Structuring your letter

Remember that paragraphs are important. Normally, you start any letter by stating why you are writing and end it by saying what you expect to happen next. In this case:

paragraph 1: to change centre (why you are writing)

paragraph 2: give reasons why you want to change

paragraph 3: make a recommendation (what you would like to happen)

Topic vocabulary

If you get a question similar to this on the subject of education, you should be familiar with the vocabulary. It is also a good idea to write about what you know, so in my model letter I mention studying for IELTS and take a simple example of another course I would like to take. Take a look at some of the “education” language included.

Dear Mr. Wright, 

I am writing to ask if it would be possible for me to transfer to the Brighton centre from the beginning of next term. I am currently enrolled in the Advanced English Programme and wilI present the IELTS exam in July.

The reason for my request is that Brighton is offering an introductory course in Accounting and Finance which I am very interested in taking along with my English studies. Although I have worked in finance in my own country, I need to become familiar with English terminology and procedures. On condition I obtain a Band 7.0 in IELTS, I have been offered a job in an international accounting firm that will pay my tuition fees to study part-time for a degree in Accounting. 

I understand that my request comes at very short notice and I regret any inconvenience this might cause. However, it is unfortunate that the same course is not offered here. Can I recommend that you consider including this course in the near future? I am convinced that you would have many interested students.

Yours sincerely

Ana Aponte

Formal/politeness language

Now look at the parts I have highlighted in blue and then read the comments below. You can try and use a lot of this language in your letters.

Dear Mr. Wright,