General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · application

Application for Quality Assurance Manager position at University

You are a current student of Loren Brusque University, studying Business Administration. You want to apply for the post of Quality Assurance Manager you have recently seen on the university's notice board.

Write a letter to Mr Walker. In your letter:

give your reason for writing
tell about your education
describe your work experience and explain why you would be suitable for the job

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr Walker,

I am writing to formally express my interest in the Quality Assurance Manager position, as advertised on the Loren Brusque University notice board. Having been a dedicated student at this institution for three years, I am eager to contribute to the university’s operational standards.

Currently, I am in my final year of the Business Administration degree program. My academic focus has been primarily on organizational efficiency, process optimization, and strategic management. These modules have provided me with a robust theoretical framework for maintaining high quality benchmarks within large-scale service environments.

Regarding my professional background, I completed a six-month internship at Global Logistics Solutions last summer. During this placement, I assisted in auditing internal workflows and identifying bottlenecks in supply chain procedures. This hands-on experience refined my analytical skills and ability to implement data-driven solutions.

I believe my combination of academic knowledge and practical auditing experience makes me an ideal candidate for this role. I am highly detail-oriented and possess the communication skills necessary to collaborate effectively with faculty and administrative staff alike.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my application further.

Yours sincerely,

Jordan Smith

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response achieves high marks by addressing every bullet point with specific, relevant details while maintaining a consistently professional tone. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link their academic background to the specific requirements of the job, resulting in a generic letter that lacks persuasion.

Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

Useful phrases from the letter

operational standards: the established rules for how an organization functions
robust: strong, healthy, and unlikely to fail or break
benchmarks: standards against which other things are measured
bottlenecks: points in a process that cause delays
data-driven: decisions based on analysis of factual information
detail-oriented: someone who pays close attention to small things

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

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

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.