Meera from Coimbatore wrote to a college: “Send me details of your course.” The tone was a command, and it did not say which details she needed.

An IELTS request letter asks politely and precisely: say who you are and why you are writing, ask clear questions, and make it easy to reply. Indirect questions such as “Could you let me know…” keep the tone polite.

What Does an IELTS Request Letter Require?

IELTS lists asking for information among the things a General Training letter task can require. It also says you should choose a style that suits your reader and your purpose.

At Band 7 in the public band descriptors, the purpose is clear and the tone is consistent and appropriate. So say why you are writing in your first sentence and keep your questions polite.

When you write to a training provider or employer whose staff you do not know, a formal tone is the safer choice. For help with register, see choosing the right tone.

Why Indirect Questions Improve Your Tone

An order such as “Send me the form” sounds demanding. A direct question such as “How much is the fee?” is not wrong, but in a formal letter an indirect question sounds more polite.

An indirect question keeps statement word order. “What time do the classes start?” becomes “Could you tell me what time the classes start?”

For more polite patterns, see how to be polite in English.

Useful Language for IELTS Enquiries

This table gives phrases for the main moves in an enquiry letter.

Purpose Useful language
Stating the reason I am writing to ask about your part-time design course.
Asking politely Could you please send me details of the course fees?
Asking indirectly I would like to know which evenings the classes are held.
Requesting a document Could you send me an application form and a syllabus?
Thanking in advance Thank you in advance for your help.

Make each question specific by asking for exact dates, payment details or documents.

Practice Task and Model Letter

Here is an original task in the format of the IELTS sample tasks.

Practice task (written for this post)

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You want to join a part-time graphic design course at a fictional training college.

Write a letter to the admissions director. In your letter:

  • explain why you want to join the course
  • ask about the timetable and the course fees
  • ask which documents you need for registration

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Model letter (illustrative Band 7)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask about the part-time graphic design course at your college.

I work as a junior marketing assistant, and I would like to develop practical skills in digital illustration and layout software. A qualification in design would help me to create promotional material for my team and to take on more responsibility at work.

Could you tell me which evenings the classes are held and how many hours I would need to attend each week? I would also like to know whether any weekend sessions are required, as I work during the day. In addition, could you confirm the total fees for the course, including any examination or software costs?

Finally, I would be grateful if you could let me know which documents I need to submit with my application. Could you also send me an application form and a syllabus?

Thank you in advance for your help. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully, Meera Sundaram

Why It Works

  • Task Achievement: the first sentence states the purpose, and each bullet point has its own paragraph with specific questions about the timetable, hours, fees and documents.
  • Task Achievement (tone): it stays formal and polite, with no contractions.
  • Coherence and Cohesion: “In addition” and “Finally” move the reader from the timetable to the fees to the documents.
  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy: embedded questions keep statement word order, as in “which evenings the classes are held”.

Avoiding Common Request Letter Mistakes

An order gives the reader no clue about what you need.

Incorrect: “Send me the fee details.”

Correct: Could you tell me what the total course fees are, including any examination costs?

For the first and last lines of a letter, see how to start and end an IELTS letter. For workplace templates, see formal emails for work.

Tip

Before you write, note one exact fact you need for each question, such as a date, a price or a document.

Key Takeaways

  • State your purpose in the opening sentence.
  • Use indirect questions to keep your tone polite.
  • Give each bullet point its own paragraph with concrete questions.
  • Close with a polite sentence and a matching sign-off.

The bottom line: A polite request comes from the shape of the sentence, such as “Could you tell me…”, not from extra pleasantries.