You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are going to another country to study. You would like to do a part-time job while
you are studying, so you want to ask a friend who lives there for some help. Write a
letter to this friend. In your letter:
give details of your study plans
explain why you want to get a part-time job
suggest how your friend could help you find a job
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
IELTS Tip
General Training Writing Task 1 should be written in the style appropriate to the task: if it is a
letter to a friend, it should be written in a friendly, informal style; if it is a letter to a company
or institution, it should be written in a formal style.
Model answer
Dear Sara,
My departure date for Canada is drawing near, and I am busy with preparations. I have
enrolled at an institution called IDT English in Ottawa, for a four-month intermediate
course, full-time. It is quite expensive but I am hopeful of improving my pronunciation,
especially.
To assist in covering the costs of my study, I aim to find a part-time job. Not only are the
college fees rather high, but also I know that rental accommodation in the capital city will not
be cheap, to say nothing of food and heating expenses! So I would very much like to arrange
some temporary employment before I arrive.
I was wondering if you could ask around among your friends and colleagues to see if anyone
wants a house-cleaner, gardener, or nanny for their children. I know you have a wide social
network in Ottawa which you could canvas for me, if you wouldn't mind. I'd be so grateful.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes,
Helen
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are studying a short course in another country. Your accommodation was arranged
by the course provider. There is a major problem with the accommodation.
Write a letter to the course provider. In your letter:
Say what the problem is.
Describe the accommodation you thought you were getting.
Ask the provider to solve the problem.
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
IELTS Tip
A common problem in GT Task 1 is that candidates use a strange mix of formal and informal
language. In formal letters, they may include inappropriate informalities; in informal letters
they may suddenly be too formal, usually including a memorised chunk. This mix confuses
the reader and affects the candidates score in Task Fulfilment.
Related Topic: Writing a letter
Model answer
Dear Mr Watterson,
My name is Andrew Fish, and I am taking an eight-week intensive English course at Oxford
House College. My company is paying for my tuition, and I am using my summer vacation to
study. It is expected I will pass an English Proficiency Test as a result, and be transferred
abroad. Therefore, it is rather important to me that I am able to study in the best environment.
I am staying in Phoenix Hostel on campus. While my room is pleasant and the facilities are
very good, the hostel is extremely noisy. When I organised my accommodation, I was assured
I would be staying only with post-graduate or intensive-course students. However, most of
the people in this hostel are doing summer-school courses due to academic failure, and they
are all under 22. It seems to me they are enjoying one long party: certainly no one observes
light out or turns down music despite being asked to.
I wonder if I may be moved to a hostel which is more conducive to serious study, or I may
use the remainder of my accommodation fee to go towards payment for a hotel.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Fish
(204 words)

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You have seen an advertisement in an English newspaper for a job working in the City
Museum shop during the holidays.
You decide to apply for the job. Write a letter to the director of the Museum. In your
letter:
introduce yourself
explain what experience and special skills you have
explain why you are interested in the job
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
IELTS Tip
Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully can both be used to close formal and semi-formal
letters.Yours faithfully is used when you don't know the name of the person you are writing
to.
Related Topic: Writing a letter
Model answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
Im writing to apply for the holiday job which you advertised recently in the newspaper. I am
a twenty-one-year-old student and I speak English quite well. At present I am in my second
year studying History at Lincoln College and I am very keen to have a holiday job this
summer. I am extremely good at adding up, so I think I would be an asset to your shop.
My term finishes on 5th July and I am free until 20th September. Last year I worked in a
restaurant serving tourists from all over the world and I enjoyed it very much. I would like to
have the opportunity to meet people and practise my English again.
I enjoy going to museums and am particularly keen on history. Last year I went to an
exhibition of Ancient Greek objects which was held in London. I have often been in your
museum and am familiar with the items you have. I do hope you will be interested in my
application.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours faithfully,

Dimitris Boudramis
(186 words)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are looking for a part-time job at a football club.
Write a letter to the manager of the football club. In your letter:
introduce yourself
explain what experience and special skills you have
tell him/her when you think you could start
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Test Tip
Remember in the IELTS Writing Task 1 (General Training) you are assessed on:
- Task Achievement (how well you answer the question)
- Coherence and Cohesion (the layout, and ordering and linking of ideas in your letter)
- Lexical Resource (use of appropriate vocabulary)
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (the accuracy and range of the grammar you use)
Model answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a 21-year-old student and I am studying Sports Coaching Science at St Mary's
University. I have been studying there for the past three years. I am writing to ask if there are
any part-time job vacancies at your football club.
I really enjoy sport, and my areas of particular interest and experience are Football, Rugby
and Cricket. I have had some experience of coaching for these sports over the past three years
that I have been at the University. Last year, I worked in the holidays at a football club in my
own country. I will be able to provide references from this summer job and also from my
teachers at the university.
I would prefer to work in the evenings and at the weekends, as I have classes during the
daytime, and I can start from the beginning of November.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours faithfully,
Adam Lawerence
(160 words)
In the GT Writing Module you may be asked to write a letter of application for a job.
You will need to use a range of vocabulary, some quite specialised, in your letter.
Complete the letter by filling the gaps with a word from the box below.
CV

post

department

developer

interview

experience

qualified

closing

skills

salary

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to apply for the post of Software Development Manager advertised on February
9th on the University of Kent vacancy database. I have worked for the past ten years as a
seniordeveloper in a telecommunication company in the IT department. I think now is the
right time to apply for a better position as I believe I have gained relevant experience and
skills.
As you can see from my enclosed CV, I am a qualified engineer and believe I have excellent
technical and management skills. My current salary is $55,000 a year.
I realize that the closing date for applications was last Saturday, but I hope you will still
consider my application. I will be available for interview at any time, apart from the 12 - 24
March when I have arranged a holiday in Italy.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely
John Smith
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What is the difference between a CV and a resume?
The primary differences between a CV and a resume are the length. Entry level resumes are
usually limited to a page. CVs, however, often run to three or more pages. A more subtle but

equally important distinction is that whereas the goal of a resume is to construct a

professional identity, the goal of a CV is quite specifically to construct a scholarly identity. In
the United States, a CV is used primarily when applying for academic, education, scientific,
or research positions. In Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, employers may expect to
receive a CV.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You saw an advertisement for a tennis course in England but you have one or two
problems and cant stay the whole course.
Write a letter to the course director. In your letter:
explain your interest in the course
describe your problems
find out if a refund is possible
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Test Tip
If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, begin with Dear Sir or Dear
Sir or Madam or Dear Madam and end your letter with Yours faithfully, followed by your
full name.
Model answer
Dear Sir or Madam,
Im writing in response to your advertisement on your website for a tennis course in Bath,
England.
I have always wanted to play tennis so Im very interested in joining the course; however, I
do not have my own racquets and dont wish to buy racquets at this time. Is it
possible for me to hire racquets and balls for the duration of the course? Also I have poor
eyesight and have to wear glasses all the time. I would like to know if your course is
suitable for someone like me.
Im afraid that I have to be back in Malaysia by 31st December so I am unable to
stay in England for the whole three weeks. Is it possible for me to get a partial refund if I
want to leave one week before the end of the course?
Im looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
Philip Wong
(156 words)
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You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are due to move into a rented apartment next month but you will not be able to
because you have some problems.
Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:
explain your situation
describe your problems
tell him/her when you think you can move in
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Exam Tip
Make sure that you address all the points in the question. Organise your ideas before you start
to write and when you have finished, check your spelling and the number of words you have
used.
Model answer
Dear Miss Berry,
As you know, I have rented 41 George Roche Road from you for six months from 15th
August. However, I am afraid I will no longer be able to move in on that date, as my plans
have had to change because of illness.
During the summer vacation, I was working in a company as a Project Manager. Towards the
end of my shift, I slipped and fell on a wet floor and broke my wrist. Luckily, it was a clean
break and didn't require surgery. However, it is my right wrist, and so I am unable to write for
the time being.
At present, I am at home in Kuala Lumpur until the plaster can be taken off I think this
should be in the last week of September. I will then return to my course in Canterbury and
take up residence at 41 George Roche Road.
I hope this will not cause you any difficulties.

Yours sincerely,
Rachel Yu
Prepositions
The sample letter contains 14 gaps. Complete it by putting a preposition in each space.
Dear Mr. Peter,
Thank you for your letter of 20 September. I was very saddened by your account of what
happened in our hotel last month, and I am writing to express my apologies for this. I can
understand that you were shocked by the way the receptionist behaved. There can be no
excuse for such behaviour and I fully understand why you felt you needed to
complain about the situation. I can provide no explanation for/of the way the employee spoke
to you.
As a member of Darius Hotels Group, we have a reputation for being perfect at looking after
our customers, and I am very sorry that your experience of our service did not confirm this. I
intend to deal with staff member appropriately and I will ensure that he does not repeat this
behaviour bysending him on a retraining course next week. I would like to assure you that the
behaviour you encountered is not typical of our staff.
As the guest service manager, I am responsible for all of our employees so please accept my
apologies again and this voucher worth $100 to spend in any of our hotels.
Yours sincerely,
John Norman
Guest Service Manager
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Marina has just started a new course at college and her tutor has asked her to write him
a letter telling him something about herself. She has made ten mistakes in verb tenses in
her letter. Find and correct them.

Dear Tutor,
I have come to Brighton College from Singapore, where I was a student for ten years. I have
already taken examinations in Singapore in English, Biology, Computer and Maths. My
highest score was for Computer: I got grade A.

When I was a student in Singapore I also had a part-time job in a shop. My uncle owns a
supermarket and so I helped him in the evenings. I worked / used to work there four nights a
week and I think this was very good experience for me.
At the weekends, I usually played volleyball with friends or, if the weather was bad, we went
/ used to go to the theatre, which is very popular in Singapore. Because of my part-time job, I
also spent a lot of time studying at the weekend.
I haven't been to many other places. My father took me to Thailand once. Three weeks after
wereturned he also went to Malaysia and took the whole family.
This is a brief description of my background.
Best wishes,
Marina
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You are a student at an English language school in Brighton and are living in private
accommodation with other flat mates. You have not had hot water or heating for some
time. The landlords workmen have tried to fix the problem but without success.
Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:
state your reason for writing
describe the problems and explain how you feel
propose a solution and risk the landlord to take action
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Grammar Tip
Note that the phrasal verb to look forward is always followed by to + ing: I am looking
forward to seeing you soon. In formal letters we use the simple present tense rather than
thepresent continuous: We look forward to hearing from you.
Model answer
Dear Mr. Jones,
I am one of the tenants at your property in Upper Lewes Road, and am writing to complain
about the fact that we do not have any hot water or heating in our house.

As you know, we have been living in this house since September and have always paid our
rent on time. However, we have had no hot water for last two weeks. This is making our lives
very difficult, especially as it is now the middle of winter. Last week you said you would
send a workman to our house within 3 days, but no one came. After calling many times, the
workman eventually arrived at the house 5 days later. Unfortunately, he said he could not fix
the problem because the boiler was too old! We are now extremely unhappy about this
solution.
We are prepared to continue to rent your house but please arrange for emergency repairs to be
made. We also request a 40% discount on our rent for the period we have been without any
hot water or heating.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Shannon Brown
(188 words)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are going on a short course to a training college abroad. It is a college that you have
not been to before.
Write a letter to the accommodation officer. In your letter
give details of your course and your arrival/departure date
explain your accommodation needs
ask for information about getting to and from the college
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ................. ,
Exam Tip
Be careful with the spelling of the following words: graceful, sincerely, faithfully. Register is
important when writing a letter. Make sure the language you use is not too informal if the
letter is a very formal one, or too formal if the letter is to someone you know well.
Model answer

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inform you that I will be attending the Advanced Life Insurance course, being
held from Tuesday 24th April until 27rd April, at the University of Hartford.
I will be arriving on the afternoon of Monday 23th and will be leaving on the morning of
Saturday the 28th of April, so I will require a single room for this time. I would prefer my
own bathroom, if this is possible, but do not mind sharing if I have to; however, as I am
wheelchair bound, the room will have to be disability friendly. Could you please tell me how
much this will cost and how I should make a payment? Do you accept VISA?
As I do not know the area, I would also be grateful if you could provide some information
about getting to and from the University. Will I need to take public transport from the station
or is there a University bus service? Any information on what to see and do in the area would
also be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your assistance.
Alex Jones
(184 words)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are looking for a part-time job.
Write a letter to an employment agency. In your letter
introduce yourself
explain what sort of job you would like
and say what experience and skills you have
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ................. ,

Writing Tip
1) Read the question carefully to make sure you have fully understood the function of the
letter, i.e. the reason for writing it.
2) Look at the three points and think of something to write about each of them.

3) Write a plan along the lines of the notes you wrote earlier.
4) Expand your plan into a full answer.
5) Leave time at the end to check your answer for errors in grammar, spelling and
punctuation.
Model answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a German national from Heidelberg and at present I am studying for a Masters degree
in Commercial Law here, at the University of Bielefeld, where I have been for the last two
months.
I am looking for a part-time job and I wonder if you can help me. Probably, I would like an
office job, perhaps working as a secretary, office administrator or typist. I can only work
during the afternoons and at weekends as my university studies occupy most of the day. I
would be ready to start immediately.
I am a competent typist and I am computer-literate. In addition, I speak Polish and German
fluently and I have been learning English for the past three years. While I studied for my
degree, I worked as a part-time office manager for an import-export firm in Heidelberg. In
recent years, I have also had temporary summer jobs as a hotel receptionist in Mannheim,
Germany.
I am looking forward to hearing from you,
Yours faithfully,
Heinrich Bukowski
(170 words)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are going on a short training course at a collage in Greenmount, Northern Ireland.
You need somewhere to live while you are there.
Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In your letter:
explain your situation.
describe the accommodation you require.
say when you will need it.
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Ms Rose,
IELTS Tip
1) You can deal with the points in the letter in any order, though the question is not designed
to confuse students and the points are put in what seems a logical order.
2) You will lose mark if you dont mention all the points as you will be considered not to
have answered the question completely.
3) When you explain your situation, you must give (or invent) more details about yourself.
4) It is not necessary to give a complete description of the type of accommodation you need
just your basic requirements in order to orientate the accommodation officer. However, you
can take the opportunity to show some of the vocabulary you know.
5) You should give the dates when you will need the accommodation.
Complete the sample letter
Dear Ms Rose,
I am a 26-year-old farmer and agronomist from Pakistan, and I have been accepted
todo/take/complete a one-month training course at Greenmount Agricultural College starting
next January.
I would be grateful if You could either find me accommodation for the month or give me a
list of addresses which/that I could write to. I would like, if possible, to have
rent/take/find a room in a family house because I would like the opportunity/chance to
practice my English at the same time. I will need a room with a bed and a table so that I can
study there also. If possible/available, I would prefer a room near the college since I
will only be in Greenmount for a short time and I will not have time to learn my way around.
I will need the accommodation for five weeks from 28th December to the 3rd February as I
would like to arrive a few days before the course begins.
Could you also please tell me how much accommodation of this kind will cost and whether
the priceinclude meals?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Muhammad
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You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
An English-speaking friend wants to spend a two-week holiday in your region and has
written asking for information and advice.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

offer to find somewhere to stay
give advice about what to do
give information about what clothes to bring
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ................. ,

The sample letter contains twelve gaps. Complete it by putting a word or phrase from
the box below in each space.
although

and

as

because

but

if

since

so

so that

that

when

where

which

who

Dear Albert,
Im delighted that you are coming to Singapore next month. I think it would be great if you
could stay with me and my family, who send you their best wishes. Otherwise, if you prefer, I
can easily book you a cheap but comfortable hotel near the beach so/so that/where you can
be more independent.
There are lots of things to do in my city. If I were you, Id spend some days on the beach
relaxingand/before one or two days sightseeing in the city. There are several interesting
museums and temples which/that Im sure you will enjoy. One place you really should visit
is an excellent theme park called Sentosa, where youll want to spend the whole day. Also,
you ought to go to our excellent night safari, which is about an hour away by bus.
You dont need to bring a lot of clothes as/because/since the weather is normally warm and
sunny, and of course, rainy. However, in the evening its a bit cooler, so you may need a
jersey and a jacket.

Please let me know exactly when you're coming so/so that I can meet you at the airport. Itll
be great to see you again so we can get up-to-date with all our news!
Love
Monica
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You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You eat at your college cafeteria every lunchtime. However, you think it needs some
improvements.
Write a letter to the college magazine. In you letter
explain what you like about the cafeteria
say what is wrong with it
suggest how it could be improved
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ................. ,

The sample letter contains eight gaps. Complete it by putting a word or phrase from the
box below in each space.
annoying

put right

could

should

enough

unfortunately

good idea

too hot

Dear Sir/Madam,
I normally eat lunch at the college cafeteria because it is reasonable priced, convenient and it
has a friendly atmosphere.
There are, however, a number of deficiencies which I think should be put right. Firstly,
although the staff try to keep the tables clean, there are not enough workers at peak times to
clear their tables themselves then they have finished eating.
Unfortunately, some students do not bother to do this. Also, there are a number of students

who do not wait in the queue to be served, which is very annoying for the majority of us.
Finally, I think the cafeteria could have better ventilation as it gets too hot, especially in the
summer.
I think it would be a good idea if more signs were put around the cafeteria asking students to
put their dirty plates and cutlery on the trolleys provided and to throw away their leftovers
and rubbish. Also, I think we should tell students when they are being anti-social and
jumping the queue. Finally,could we please have a few windows open when things get too
hot?
Yours faithfully
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You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You have a full time job and are also doing a part time evening course. You now find
that you can not continue the course.
Write a letter to your tutor. In your letter
describe the situation
explain why you cannot continue at this time
say what action you would like to take
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ................. ,

Model answer
Dear Sir or Madam,
My name is Muhamad Abdul. I am taking a part-time evening course. I am having a hard
time keeping up with this course. I am afraid I cannot continue the course.
My problem is, I have a full-time job, from 9am 5pm. Sometimes, I am asked to stay extra
hours, to finish up the rest of the work. That is because the holidays are coming up soon. Also
I have to do some work preparations for the next day.

At night when I get home, I am too tired to even prepare a dinner for myself. Also I have no
time to study for this course.
I would like drop this course this quarter. Then take it again the next quarter. So, please
accept my situation.
Thank you for your cooperation
Sincerely
M. Abdul
(135 words)
EXAMINERS EXPLANATION
Band 5
The reason for writing is very clear in this letter but it is not clear who the letter is to. The
writer gives information to cover all three bullet points, but only one is well extended, and
the whole response is underlenght at 135 words, so it loses marks for this.
The information is organised and it is easy to follow the message. A range of linkers is used
across the answer and they are generally accurate, but in some places, especially the first
paragraph, sentences are not well-linked.
The range of vocabulary is sufficient for the task and there are some quite precise
expressions. There are no errors in word form, but some very basic spelling errors occur. In
terms of grammar, the range is rather limited with many very short sentences and few
complex structures. Grammar is generally well-controlled, however, with only a few minor
errors and occasional inappropriate punctuation.
In the General Training Writing Test, you must manage your time well. Writing Task 2 is
worthTWICE as many points as Writing Task 1, so you must only spend 20 minutes on
Writing Task 1. Take a reliable watch into the exam with you. You wont be allowed to take
your mobile phone into the exam room.
Related Topic: Timing and word length in the writing module
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Your heighbours have recently written to you to complain about the noise from your
houselflat.
Write a letter to your neighbours. In your letter
explain the reasons for the noise
apologise

 describe what action you will take

Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ................. ,

Model answer
Dear James,
I was very shocked to get your letter saying that the noise from my flat has been spoiling
your evenings and causing you some distress. I am really, really sorry about that. I had no
idea that you would be able to hear so much, so I hope you will accept my apologies.
As you may have guessed, I am trying to refit my kitchen in the evenings when I get home
from work. Unfortunately it is all getting longer than expected and I have been having
problems with getting things to fit properly. This has meant to a lot of banging and
hammering.
As the kitchen is still not finished, I have decided to call in a professional builder who will
finish the work in the next day or two. Hell work only during daytime hours, so you wont
be disturbed in the evenings again, I promis.
Sorry to have caused these problems,
Bill.
(157 words)
The instructions will ask you to write about three points. You must not leave out any of the
points or add irrelevant material or you will lose marks. Your letter must be paragraphed for
example, a paragraph on each point and a concluding paragraph with a suitable ending. You
do not need to include any postal addresses.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You will move to a new city for work. You know some people who live there.
Ask them for help finding accommodation
Tell them where you would like to live

 Tell them the type of place you are looking for

You should write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir,

Model answer
Dear Sir,
I wanted to let you know that I am coming to live in (city) and I would like to ask if you can
help me with a few things before I arrive and start my new job.
Do you think you could give me a hand finding somewhere to live? Ideally I would like to
live close to where I am going to be working, or in the downtown district. If possible I would
like to be near some shops, like a supermarket and a DVD rental place. As I really love sports
it would be great to be near a park too.
Im not too worried about the place itself. Obviously I will be looking for a flat, rather than a
house, as it is just going to be me and I wont be able to afford too much. So, a place with one
bedroom is fine, but I would like to have a private bathroom (not shared), a kitchen and some
kind of living room. It doesnt matter if the kitchen is small, but it would nice to have one. I
would prefer to live somewhere new, so anything in a modern apartment block would be
great.
Thanks for your help
(206 words)