Sample IELTS GT Task 1 letter: A sports club is raising membership fees

Dear Members of the Committee,

I am writing to share my opinion about the planned increase in the membership fees, which was announced in the club newsletter last week.

First of all, I would like to say that I have been a member of the tennis club for almost six years now. I joined when I moved to this area, and I play here two or three times every week. I really enjoy being part of the club and I think it is a great place for the community.

However, I am a bit worried about the new fees. The newsletter said the price will go up by thirty per cent, which is a big increase. For many members, especially students and older people, this could be too expensive, and I am afraid that some of them will have to leave the club. This would be a pity because the club would lose loyal members.

Instead of such a big increase, I would like to suggest an alternative. Maybe the committee could raise the fees by a smaller amount, for example ten or fifteen per cent. Another idea is to offer cheaper prices for students and pensioners. The club could also try to find new money by renting the courts to other groups during quiet hours.

Thank you for reading my letter. I hope the committee will think about these ideas.

Kind regards, Laura Bennett

Dear Members of the Committee,

I am writing in response to last week’s newsletter, which announced a forthcoming rise in our membership fees, as I have a number of concerns I would like the committee to consider.

By way of background, I have been a loyal member of the tennis club for nearly six years, joining shortly after I moved to the area, and I currently play here two or three times a week. The club has become an important part of my life, and I am writing precisely because I want to see it continue to flourish.

That said, I am genuinely concerned about the scale of the proposed increase. A rise of thirty per cent in a single year strikes me as steep, particularly for members on tighter budgets such as students and pensioners. My worry is that an increase of this size could drive away long-standing members, which would undermine both the club’s finances and its friendly atmosphere in the longer term.

Rather than a single large jump, I would respectfully suggest a more gradual approach, perhaps a rise of ten to fifteen per cent, combined with discounted rates for students and retirees. The committee might also consider generating additional income by hiring out the courts to local groups during off-peak hours, which would ease the pressure on members’ contributions.

Thank you for taking the time to consider these suggestions. I would be glad to discuss them further at the next meeting.

Kind regards, Laura Bennett