By English Test Coach · Updated
All sample answersGeneral Training Task 1 · 218 words
Hiring a public hall: a complete enquiry
Connect attendance and activities to facility needs, then ask for an itemised cost and available dates.
Study the method: Formal letters: develop every task point and make the request clear →
Band 6 goal: Formal requests
Complete every task part clearly and organise the response so the reader can follow it. This is a study route, not an examiner score assigned to the answer. How IELTS Writing is assessed.
The question
You would like to hire a public hall for a local club. Write a letter to the venue manager. Explain the purpose of the event, describe the facilities you need, and ask about availability and cost.
The sample answer
Dear Venue Manager, I am writing on behalf of Brookton Photography Club to enquire about hiring the Riverside Public Hall for our annual exhibition. We expect approximately eighty visitors on either Saturday 12 or Saturday 19 November, and would need access from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. for setup, viewing and removal.
The main room would hold thirty framed photographs on portable display boards, with a short presentation for seated visitors at 3 p.m. We therefore need twenty display panels, sixty chairs, two tables and access to a power socket for a projector. Step-free entry and an accessible toilet are essential. We would also like permission to serve tea and packaged biscuits in the side room, without cooking.
Could you confirm whether either date is available and whether the listed equipment is included in the basic hire? Please provide an itemised cost showing the hall charge, equipment fees, refundable deposit and any cleaning requirement. I would also be grateful for your rules on attaching labels to display boards and the latest time by which the building must be cleared.
If one of the dates is suitable, I would be pleased to visit the hall before making the booking. Please let me know whether a weekday-afternoon visit would be possible. Thank you for your assistance. Yours faithfully, Alex Morgan
Vocabulary in context
Each phrase appears in the answer above. Learn how it works, not just a replacement word.
- itemised cost
- A price broken down into its separate charges or components.
List the charges that should appear so the request can be answered accurately.
- refundable deposit
- Money returned when agreed conditions are met after the hire.
Ask about both the amount and the conditions governing its return.
- step-free entry
- A route into a building that does not require using steps.
Use the term for a specific access need rather than claiming the entire venue is accessible.
Now make it your own
Adapt the facilities and cost paragraphs for a dance club event requiring a clear floor, sound system and changing rooms.
For a smaller practice step, use the explanation, knowledge check and self-review exercise in Write a letter with purpose and tone.
The practice link opens the original question, not a copy of this answer.
Open the writing workspaceMore examples of this question type
Write to an organisation or person you do not know. State the purpose clearly, cover all three task points and keep the tone polite and professional.