You saw an advertisement for an evening course at a local college and would like more information before enrolling. Write a letter to the college.
A full IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 letter requesting information about an evening course at Band 6.0, 7.0 and 8.5, with the structure, register and language it needs, and why each version scores what it does.
The question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You saw an advertisement for an evening course at a local college and would like more information before enrolling. Write a letter to the college.
In your letter,
explain which course you are interested in and where you saw it advertised
ask two or three specific questions about the course
explain how the college can contact you
You do not need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Write at least 150 words.
What this letter needs
Because nothing has gone wrong, candidates often default to a flat, uninflected list of questions that reads more like a form than a letter. The real test is asking specific, genuinely useful questions — not generic ones repeated from every other topic — while keeping a warm, interested tone that still respects the formal register the unnamed recipient requires.
Structure
Salutation — Dear Sir or Madam, — the advert did not name a contact person, so keep the fully formal opening.
Opening — Say which course caught your attention and where you saw it advertised, in one clear sentence.
Body 1 — Ask your most important question first — usually about timing or entry requirements — so it is not lost among smaller details.
Body 2 — Ask one or two further practical questions (cost, materials, class size) that a genuine applicant would need answered before enrolling.
Body 3 — Give a clear, simple way to be contacted, so the college can reply easily.
Closing — Thank them in advance and sign off formally.
Model answers
Band 6.0 model answer
157 words
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing about the evening course in Photography which I saw advertised on your college website last week. I am very interested in joining this course.
First, I would like to know when the course starts and how many weeks it lasts. I also want to ask if I need any experience with photography before I join, because I am a beginner.
Second, could you tell me how much the course costs and if I need to buy my own camera, or if the college has cameras we can use? This information would help me a lot, since I would like to prepare properly before the course begins.
You can contact me by email or by phone in the evenings. My email address is on this letter, and my phone number is 555-1234.
Thank you very much for your help. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully, [Your Name]
Why this is Band 6.0
Questions are asked as a simple, functional list: 'First, I would like to know...' / 'Second, could you tell me...'
Vocabulary stays basic and safe, e.g. 'This information would help me a lot'
Contact details are given clearly but plainly, with no elaboration
Occasional simple sentence patterns repeat ('I am very interested', 'I want to ask') typical of Band 6 control
Band 7.0 model answer
190 words
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to enquire about the evening course in Photography, which I recently saw advertised on your college website.
As a complete beginner, I would first like to know whether any prior experience is required to join the course, as well as the start date and overall length of the programme. I would also like to know whether the course includes any practical outdoor sessions, as the advertisement did not make this clear.
In addition, I would be grateful if you could confirm the course fee and let me know whether students are expected to provide their own camera, or whether equipment is supplied by the college for use during lessons. Knowing this in advance would allow me to prepare financially and practically before the course begins.
I would also appreciate information about class sizes, as this would help me decide whether the course suits my needs.
I can be contacted most conveniently by email, or by telephone during the evenings on 555-1234.
I would be grateful for any information you can provide, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully, [Your Name]
Why this is Band 7.0
'I would be grateful if you could confirm' shows a controlled, formal request structure
The reasoning 'as this would help me decide whether the course suits my needs' adds a justified point rather than a bare question
'most conveniently' and 'during the evenings' show accurate use of less common phrasing
Ideas are logically grouped into clear question paragraphs, showing good organisation
Band 8.5 model answer
192 words
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to enquire about the evening course in Photography advertised on your college website, which I came across while looking for a way to develop a long-standing interest of mine.
As I have no formal background in photography, I would be grateful to know whether any prior experience is expected of applicants, along with the course's start date and overall duration, and whether the syllabus covers portrait or landscape work in particular.
I would also appreciate confirmation of the fee, and clarification as to whether equipment is provided during lessons or whether students are required to bring their own camera — this would make a considerable difference to how I budget for the course.
A further, smaller question concerns class size, since I would find a more intimate group more conducive to learning a practical skill of this kind.
I am most easily reached by email, though I am also available by telephone most evenings on 555-1234, should that be more convenient.
I would be most grateful for any information you are able to provide, and I look forward to your reply.
Yours faithfully, [Your Name]
Why this is Band 8.5
'while looking for a way to develop a long-standing interest of mine' is natural, idiomatic phrasing beyond a script formula
The aside 'this would make a considerable difference to how I budget for the course' shows precise, purposeful elaboration on the most practical bullet point
'a more intimate group more conducive to learning a practical skill of this kind' uses sophisticated, accurate vocabulary with no strain
The closing hedge 'should that be more convenient' is a natural, flexible native-level courtesy
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.
This is a formal letter question. The answers above show you what each band looks like when it is finished. What they cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in twenty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the letter is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Answers checked here may be published on this page, without your name, to help other learners. Nothing else about you is stored.
Common questions
How many questions should I actually ask?
Two or three focused questions, as the task asks — more than that starts to feel like a list rather than a letter, and dilutes your strongest points.
Can I ask about price and still sound formal, or is that too direct?
Asking about price is completely normal and expected; keep it formal by framing it as a request for confirmation ('I would be grateful if you could confirm the fee') rather than a blunt 'how much is it?'
Should I explain why I want to do the course?
One brief reason is enough to make the letter feel genuine, but this is a request letter, not a personal statement — don't let it become the main content.
What's the best way to give my contact details without it sounding like a form?
A single natural sentence, such as mentioning you are most easily reached by email or phone in the evenings, covers the bullet point without breaking the letter's flow.
