IELTS letter phrases: openings, purposes and closings for every tone
5 min read · Updated 7 October 2026
Good phrases make a letter sound natural and save time. The trick is to choose ones that fit the situation, not to fill the letter with memorised lines. Examiners notice formulaic language that does not match the task, and Lexical Resource suffers for it.
Stating your purpose
| Formal | Semi-formal | Informal |
|---|---|---|
| I am writing to complain about… | I am writing to let you know that… | I just wanted to tell you… |
| I am writing to enquire about… | I am writing to ask whether… | I've got some exciting news! |
| I am writing to apply for… | I hope you are keeping well. I am writing to… | Thanks for your letter. |
Making a request
| Formal | Semi-formal | Informal |
|---|---|---|
| I would be grateful if you could… | Would it be possible to…? | Could you…? |
| I would like you to… | I was wondering if you could… | How about…? |
| I would appreciate it if… | I would really appreciate it if… | It would be great if you could… |
Complaining
- I am extremely disappointed with… (formal)
- Unfortunately, the item was not delivered until… (formal)
- The timing is particularly difficult for me at the moment because… (semi-formal)
- I wondered if we could find a solution together. (semi-formal, to a neighbour)
Apologising
- I would like to apologise for… (formal)
- I'm so sorry I missed… (informal)
- I feel terrible about it. (informal)
- I'd love to make it up to you. (informal)
Inviting and suggesting
- I would like to invite you to… (formal)
- Why don't you come to…? (informal)
- How about we…? (informal)
- The best time to come would probably be… (informal)
Thanking
- Thank you in advance for your assistance. (formal)
- Thank you very much for considering my request. (semi-formal)
- I just wanted to say a huge thank you for… (informal)
Closing lines
| Formal | Semi-formal | Informal |
|---|---|---|
| I look forward to your reply. | Thank you for your help. | Let me know what you think. |
| I look forward to hearing from you. | I would be happy to discuss this at a convenient time. | Can't wait to see you! |
Greetings and sign-offs that go together
| Greeting | Sign-off |
|---|---|
| Dear Sir or Madam, | Yours faithfully, |
| Dear Mr / Mrs / Ms + surname, | Yours sincerely, / Kind regards, |
| Dear + first name, | Best wishes, / All the best, / Love, |
Phrases to avoid
- "I hope this letter finds you in the pink of health." Old-fashioned and memorised-sounding.
- "I am writing this letter to bring to your kind notice…" Wordy; "I am writing to let you know…" says the same.
- "Please do the needful." Not standard British English.
- "Waiting for your positive reply." Use "I look forward to hearing from you."
Every phrase above comes from or fits the model letters. To see whether yours sound natural in context, use the letter checker.
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