General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · giving information

Letter to a friend about overseas job offer

You have been offered a job overseas that you applied for.

Write a letter to your friend who already knows about that job as well. In your letter:

tell what kind of job is it
explain why you applied for this job
ask your friend about the country

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sarah,

I’ve got some incredible news to share! You know that international project manager position I mentioned applying for last month? Well, I received the official offer email this morning, and I’ve decided to accept it.

It is a senior role with a global logistics firm based in Singapore. My primary responsibility will be overseeing the supply chain operations for their Southeast Asian markets. It sounds like quite a challenge, but I’m genuinely excited to step into a leadership position on such a large scale.

I initially pursued this opportunity because I felt my career had hit a plateau locally. I really needed a change of environment to push my professional boundaries, and this role offers the perfect blend of international exposure and strategic responsibility that I have been craving for years.

Since you spent a semester studying in Singapore, I was hoping you could give me some insider tips. How did you find the cost of living, and are there any particular neighbourhoods that are better for expats? Any advice on adjusting to the climate would also be a lifesaver!

Let’s grab a coffee soon so I can hear all your stories.

Best wishes,

James

197 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 natural, cohesive language and a consistent, enthusiastic informal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is writing a generic, stiff letter that ignores the personal relationship with the friend or fails to provide specific details about the job and the destination.

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

hit a plateau: reached a point where no further progress occurs
professional boundaries: the limits or scope of one's career development
international exposure: gaining experience working in different countries or cultures
insider tips: private or expert information given to someone
cost of living: the level of prices for basic daily necessities
lifesaver: something that provides a solution to a problem

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.