General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · application

Job Application Letter for Restaurant Waiter Position

A restaurant has placed an advertisement for waiters and waitresses in your local newspaper.

Write a letter to the restaurant, applying for the job. In your letter:

explain what you are currently doing
sescribe your suitability for this area of work
say when you can attend an interview

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to express my keen interest in the waiter position advertised in the Daily Gazette this past Tuesday. Having frequented your establishment on numerous occasions, I have long admired the high standards of service provided by your team.

Currently, I am a final-year business student at the local university. My studies occupy me during the day, but I am actively seeking part-time employment that aligns with my interest in the hospitality sector. This role would provide the ideal balance between my academic commitments and professional development.

Regarding my suitability, I possess two years of experience working in a fast-paced city centre bistro. This role honed my ability to manage high-pressure situations while maintaining a professional and friendly demeanour. I am highly adept at handling table service, processing payments, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Furthermore, my strong communication skills allow me to interact effectively with diverse clientele.

I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience, preferably on weekday afternoons or any time during the weekend. Please let me know a time that suits your schedule.

I look forward to the possibility of joining your team.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Thorne

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

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with specific, relevant details while maintaining a consistently professional tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a logical reason for availability or using overly casual language that undermines the formal nature of a job application.

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

frequented: visited a particular place very often
keen interest: a very strong desire or enthusiasm
honed: sharpened or improved a skill over time
demeanour: outward behaviour or bearing of a person
diverse clientele: a wide variety of different types of customers
earliest convenience: as soon as it is easy for you

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?

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.