General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · advice

Advising a friend on choosing employment over college

You recently received a letter from a friend asking for advice about whether to go to college or to try to get a job. You think he /she should get a job.

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter:

say why he/she would not enjoy going to college
explain why getting a job is a good idea for him/her
suggest types of jobs that would be suitable for him/her

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sam,

It was great to hear from you! I’ve been thinking a lot about your dilemma regarding whether to head to college or jump straight into the workforce, and I wanted to share my perspective.

Honestly, I don’t think university would be the best fit for you right now. You’ve always been someone who thrives on hands-on activity rather than sitting through endless theory-heavy lectures. I recall how bored you were during our school seminars; a degree program would likely feel just as stifling and disconnected from your practical strengths.

Getting a job now seems like a much smarter move. You would start gaining financial independence immediately, which I know is a priority for you, and you’d build a professional network far sooner than your peers. Gaining real-world experience will give you a competitive edge that a classroom simply cannot replicate.

Given your talent for problem-solving and your interest in technology, I think you should look into roles in IT support or digital marketing internships. These fields value skills over formal qualifications and would allow you to learn on the job.

Let me know what you decide. I’m happy to help you polish your CV!

Best wishes,

Alex

199 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Why this scores well

This response achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with a natural, consistent informal tone and specific, relevant suggestions. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific job examples or using an overly formal tone that contradicts the relationship with the friend.

Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.
Contractions, phrasal verbs and a warm opening line are expected; a stiff formal tone loses marks here.
Still cover every bullet in its own paragraph; friendly does not mean unstructured.

Useful phrases from the letter

dilemma: a difficult situation where a choice must be made
thrives: to grow or develop well in specific conditions
stifling: feeling unable to breathe or express oneself freely
replicate: to make an exact copy of something
competitive edge: a feature that makes something better than others
polish: to improve something by making small final changes

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Practise IELTS General writing

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Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?

Informal. Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.

How long should an IELTS General Training letter be?

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.