General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · giving information

Letter to college principal offering career talk

A local college wants people with a job to come and talk to students about what it is like to work. You would like to come forward and talk to the students about your job.

Write a letter to the principal of the college. In your letter:

explain what you would like to talk about
say why students would be interested in your job
suggest a possible date and time for the talk

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 invitation for working professionals to share their career experiences with your students. Having read the notice on your college website, I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to your vocational guidance programme.

I am a Senior Software Architect, and I would like to speak about the realities of working in the technology sector. Specifically, I plan to discuss the daily responsibilities of a developer, the importance of continuous learning in a fast-paced industry, and how to effectively navigate the transition from academic studies to a professional office environment.

Students would find this insightful because the tech industry is currently a top career aspiration for many. Beyond the technical requirements, I can offer practical advice on soft skills, such as collaborative project management and professional communication, which are often overlooked in traditional classroom settings but are vital for long-term career progression.

I am available to deliver this presentation on the afternoon of Wednesday, 15th November, at 2:00 pm. Please let me know if this suits your schedule or if you would prefer an alternative date.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Pendelton

198 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 content while maintaining a consistently professional and polite tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific date and time or using overly casual language that is inappropriate for a principal.

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

keen interest: a strong desire or enthusiasm for something
vocational guidance: advice and information regarding potential future careers
fast-paced: an environment where things happen very quickly
navigate: to find a way through a complex process
progression: the process of developing or moving forward
overshadowed: to be made to seem less significant or important

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.