IELTS Letters – Band 8

You are not happy with the course you are doing at college and would like to change to a different course. Write a letter to the college director requesting to change your course. You should include details about:
– what course are you doing now
– why you are not satisfied with that course
– what course would you like to change to

Dear Mr. Hodgkins,

I am currently enrolled in an Italian cooking class at St. James and am writing regarding some difficulties I have had this subject for the past two weeks. I would like to know if it is to change my course.

I believe that the last day allowed for students to make any changes was Wednesday 5th June but, . The fact is that, during the enrolment session, no one mentioned that I needed to be literate in Italian, which not. Therefore, you will comprehend that for me, getting an understanding of what the teacher is saying is beyond comprehensible.

Thus, I am requesting that my current enrollment be transferred from the Italian course to the French cooking class. unlike in Italian, I am fluent in French.

I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to you and the staff and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Sandrine Mo

The student’s response covers the task question very well, the sentences have good structure, the level of formality is adequate and the vocabulary is suitable for the purpose. Some expressions would sound better in different wording (see suggestions underlined in blue). Overall, this letter is a very good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.5.

Click here to see more IELTS letters of band 8

You have recently ordered an item through the Internet, but are not happy with the purchase. Write to the company. In your letter:

– describe what you purchased,
– explain why you are not happy with the purchase,
– tell them what you would like them to do about the situation.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my disappointment with a recent purchase your online store, order number #7298883. I ordered a set of soccer that advertised on your site as a package including 3 pairs of socks and a pair of soccer boots. However, on their arrival I found out that there were only 2 pairs of socks. In addition, there were scratches on the boots that suggest that they had been used before and returned to your store.

I have since found the same offer on another website and will be returning the packages to your office. I have read the refund policy, and as I am dissatisfied with the product, I would like to request a , as well as the postal and packaging fees. Should you have any questions, you can contact me via email, my address is raymond_squared@live.com.

I look forward to a swift resolution to this matter.

Raymond Jose

The student has sufficiently addressed all the points in the task statement. The information is organized well and conveyed coherently. The paragraphing of the letter is fine. Even though some minor grammatical errors are present in this letter, it is a very good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.

Click here to see more IELTS letters of band 8