General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · application

Job Application Letter to Global Tech Solutions

You are looking for a full-time job, and recently you saw a job opening in an advertisement.

Write a letter to the company. In your letter:

introduce yourself
explain what sort of job you would like to do
and say what experience and skills you have

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in the Project Coordinator position advertised on your company website. With a strong background in administrative operations and team management, I am eager to contribute to the continued success of Global Tech Solutions.

My primary objective is to secure a full-time role within your operations department. I am particularly drawn to this position because it aligns perfectly with my professional goal of streamlining internal workflows and fostering cross-departmental collaboration. I am seeking a challenging environment where I can utilise my organisational abilities to support your project lifecycles effectively.

Regarding my qualifications, I possess over five years of experience in office management within the logistics sector. In my previous role, I successfully implemented a new digital filing system that reduced retrieval times by thirty per cent. Furthermore, I am highly proficient in project management software, including Jira and Trello, and possess advanced data analysis skills. My ability to remain composed under pressure, combined with my commitment to meticulous attention to detail, makes me an ideal candidate for this vacancy.

I look forward to the possibility of discussing my application further.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

194 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 specific, relevant details and maintaining a consistently professional tone throughout. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link their specific past experience to the requirements of the advertised role, resulting in generic statements.

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

enthusiastic interest: showing a strong desire or excitement for something
streamlining: making a process simpler and more efficient
cross-departmental: involving people from different sections of a company
logistics: the detailed coordination of a complex operation
proficient: competent or skilled in doing or using something
meticulous: showing great attention to detail and precision

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.