Semi-Formal Letter Cancelling a Gym Membership
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 216 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
You have decided to cancel your membership at a local gym where you have trained for several years. Write a letter to the gym manager. In your letter: - Explain why you have decided to cancel your membership - Describe what you have enjoyed about being a member - Ask about any final steps required to close your account Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Mr Patel,
How to approach it
- 01Use a semi-formal tone — warm but professional, since the manager is known by name
- 02Open with the purpose immediately so the reader knows what action is needed
- 03Include specific details (account number, dates) to help the manager process the request
- 04Cover all three bullets in clearly separated paragraphs
- 05Close with 'Yours sincerely' because the recipient is named
Model answer
216 words in 7 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Dear Mr Patel,
I am writing to inform you that, after almost four years as a member of Riverside Fitness, I have decided to cancel my membership effective from the end of this month. My account number is RF-2022-1408.
The main reason for my decision is a recent change in my work circumstances. I have accepted a new role in Edinburgh and will be relocating at the end of June, which will make it impractical for me to continue training at the Manchester branch. I have looked into transferring the membership to another location, but unfortunately Riverside Fitness does not have a Scottish site near my new address.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for what has genuinely been an excellent experience. The morning spin classes with Priya have been a highlight of my week, and the recent renovation of the weights area is a real credit to the club. The friendly atmosphere is something I will miss.
Could you please confirm whether I need to give written notice in any specific form and let me know when my final direct debit will be processed? I would also be grateful if you could send written confirmation once the account is closed.
Thank you again for everything.
Yours sincerely, Aisha Mehta
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 31 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
8 fewer than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 34 at the longest
1 fewer than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 18 words and vary by 10.4 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 34. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 4 of the 12 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
1 in total, spread across 1 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
once
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 80 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 70 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 4 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Address all three bullet points completely
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear structure with paragraph per purpose
Lexical Resource
Semi-formal language with polite requests
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Accurate use of present perfect, modals, and conditionals
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