IELTS GT Enquiry Letter Tips (2026)

An enquiry letter (also called a request for information) asks an organisation for facts you need before you decide: course content, fees, schedules, facilities, or membership rules. Unlike a request for action such as posting a lost item, the main goal is clear answers. Confirm GT Task 1 on the IELTS test format (IELTS.org).

Formal tone is usual because you often write to a school, club, council or company you do not know personally. Polite questions should still be direct enough that staff can reply point by point. Official criteria: IELTS Writing band descriptors (IELTS.org PDF); Academic versus GT: IELTS test types (IELTS.org).

If a bullet says ask about course content, do not write only Please tell me about the course. Ask what topics are covered, whether there is a practical project, and how many hours of teaching there are per week.

Group related questions in one paragraph per bullet. That structure makes Task Achievement easy to see and helps the reader respond.

Prompt idea: You are interested in an intensive digital skills course. Write to the academy. Ask about course content, the weekly schedule, and the instructors' qualifications.

Outline: Dear Sir or Madam; interest in Intensive Digital Skills (July intake) seen on the website; questions on modules and software taught; timetable for weekday evenings and total weeks; tutor industry background and certifications; thanks; Yours faithfully.

Formal enquiries often use I would be grateful if you could... or Could you please confirm... Indirect questions (I wonder whether...) are fine if they stay clear. Avoid stacking five unrelated asks into one sentence.

Write one purpose sentence, then one paragraph of questions per bullet. That layout is easy for examiners and for the imaginary staff member to answer.

Use this list in the final minute. Enquiry letters usually lose marks when one bullet becomes a vague Please tell me more.

Use an enquiry pattern when you need facts. Use a request pattern when you need the reader to perform an action such as sending a document or changing a booking. Some letters mix both: ask for information and then request a brochure. Keep each aim in its own paragraph.

If the next step is applying for a role, move to a job application letter. If you need an action rather than facts, use the request letter tips. For coverage method, see bullet points.

Drill five prompts by writing only the three question paragraphs in eight minutes. Then add openings and closings in a second pass. Practise full timed letters on Writing practice.