You successfully passed a job interview.

You are expected to start on November 15, but you

will not be available on that date. Task: Write a letter to your new boss, explaining your
situation, expressing your concern and suggesting a solution.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Leonardo Gomes and I have recently passed a job interview for the Software Engineer position at
the Software Infrastructure group. I was expected to start on November 15, as agreed, and am
writing because, unfortunately, I will not be able to present myself on that date.
During the interview I estimated fifteen days as the amount of time needed for me to finish my
activities at my current job and start at your company, but due to fact that I got sick for the last whole
week and was not able to work, I could not finish my tasks and will need another week to do so. If
necessary, I can give you a copy of a letter from my doctor informing that I had to stay at home and
under medical care during that week.
I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and hope this will not affect our relationship. If I am
expected to present any other form of proof or talk to someone else in the company, please let me
know.
Faithfully yours,
Leonardo
A family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the
morning, but you wont be home until the evening. Write a letter to your relative. In your
letter:
- explain the arrangements you have made for them to get keys and enter the house
- tell your relative how to get from the train station to your house
- say when you will be home and suggest what you could do together that evening
Dear Tanya,
How are you? I hope your journey was comfortable. I have an appointment with my dentist at 4 pm
today, this is why I will not be at home when you will reach. However, I have left the keys with Mr
Sharma at house #14. You can take the keys from him and enter the house. I have made some
Chicken Biriyani for you and arranged the guest room upstairs so that you can take rest.
When you arrive, your train will stop at the Central railway station. You need to take the exit towards
Roma Street. Once you come out of the station, you need to turn right and walk 100 metres. You will
find the bus stop number 58 on the opposite side of the road. You need to catch bus number 333
and get down at Robertson Stop. My address is: #27,Fleetwood St, Macgregor.

I will be home by 5:30 pm, and so will be Sam and Harry as well. We have planned to watch The
Dark Knight at home. I will make smoked salmon with chicken salad and we can have some wine with
the dinner as well. See you soon.
Lovingly Yours
Tanay
This letter covers the requirements of the task, all the bullet points are addressed
sufficiently. The information and ideas are presented logically, and the paragraphing is
appropriate. The use of vocabulary can be improved. Most of the sentences are error-free
with only a few inappropriate words used. Overall, seems good enough for Band 8.
You are going away to travel for the summer. A friend will be looking after your house while
you are away. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
- say where you are going
- describe your house
- explain some of the things your friend must do to look after your house.
Dear Sam,
Thank you in advance for looking after my house and my lovely puppies when I am on vacation. You
know how excited I am to go to Bali! It is indeed a dream coming true now.
I just want to let you know that my house has just been renovated and since you havent been to my
place for a couple of months, you have to use the stairs next to the car park insteadusing the main
entrance door. The ground floor will not be accessible and will be locked for maintenance reasons.
I need to mention a couple of things which you need to look after during my absence. My dogs will be
staying on the top floor and Iwill be very grateful if you can feed them thrice a week.
Last not least, could you please clean the dogs poop as well. Please feel free to contact me in case of
any emergencies on my cell phone 04245681112 or via email as well xxyyzz@gmail.com. Yes I know,
I have not forgotten your treat as I owe you this one mate !
Thank you once again for your help.
See you soon,
Jane

The candidate has fairly addressed all the parts of the task statement. The information is
organized well and conveyed coherently. The level of formality is suitable for a personal
letter. In terms of sentence formation the writer has done well. The range of vocabulary is
adequate for the requirements of the task response, although there are minor problems
with word choice and grammar (bring the mouse over the words in blue to see suggested
corrections). Overall, this letter is a good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.
Write a letter to an English-speaking friend. In your letter
- explain why you changed jobs
- describe your new job
- tell him/her your other news
Dear John,
I am writing to let you know that I finally got a Software Engineer position in Google. I am so happy to
share this news with you. As I told you earlier, my previous job was so bored to me. I kept working on
fixing uncountable bugs of an existing system. Thus I started seeking new job opportunities 2 months
ago.
Since I walked in Googles office during my first interview, I immediately knew that this was my ideal
work place. My major responsibility is tuning search results on several Googles products. The most
exciting thing is that my supervisor is a pioneer in this area around the world. I believe that I can get
enormous cutting-edge knowledge from him.
Furthermore, I have bought a new house near my office. I sincerely invite you to come to visit next
month if you are free at that point of time.
With best wishes,
Michael
This letter covers the task prompt fully. It has the right structure and its level of formality
is suitable for a personal letter. The vocabulary and sentence structure is fine. The letter
could have achieved a higher band score if it wasnt for the errors (mouse over the words in
blue will show suggested corrections). Seems worthy of Band 8.
Your friend is coming over to stay with you. However, you will be away on vacation for a
month. Write him/her a letter and say:

- How to get the keys to your flat

- How to operate the equipment in the flat, and
- Suggest a few places of interest to visit
Dear Susan,
Hope this finds you well. As I wrote to you in my previous letter, I am unable to cancel the finalised
trip visit my parents. But, soon after you arrive in Melbourne, contact Jessie, a good friend of mine on
0425680256. She offered her help to pick you up from the airport and you can collect the key from
her.
I must say that sometimes, the hot water geezer turns off automatically so, you might have to make
sure it is switched on before having a shower. Also, the gas heater fixed in the lounge does not work,
but you can use the oil heater in my bed room instead.
If you have time you might enjoy visiting the Aquarium, the Queen Victoria Market and the Botanical
Gardens as these places are not that far from where I live. I hope you are happy with this
arrangement, but if you need more help or information please let me know.
Looking forward to hear from you.
With love,
Amber.
All the requirements of the task were covered fairly well. The bullet points were mentioned,
emphasized and illustrated in a suitable and logical way. The tone of this letter needs to be
less formal. The ideas are presented in a logical order and all aspects of cohesion are taken
care of well. The paragraphing is handled suitably and appropriately. Some sophisticated
words/expressions are used in a clever way, with only occasional errors in word
choice/expression choice. Most sentences are free of errors. Overall, seems worthy of Band
8.
You play sport (e.g. football) for a local team. You recently heard that a player in your team
is in a hospital. Write a letter to your team-mate. In your letter:
- Say how you feel about the news
- Ask about the treatment in the hospital
- Suggest some ways of cheering him/her up
Dear John,

Im sorry to hear that youve fallen and fractured your leg. It is extremely unfortunate that you had
this accident, especially when we are having a big match next week.
I understand that youre admitted in St. Johns Hospital and will be there for a week. I hope youre
taken care well at the hospital. Although there had been some complaints about St. Johns in the past,
I heard they have improved a lot. Did you get to consult their chief orthopaedician? His speciality is in
sports medicine and he could probably suggest some specific treatments that will help you.
And let me share some good news with you. Our university has granted a sports scholarship for your
studies. I heard it from our coach and you should be getting a letter shortly. So it is not all gloom!
Do let me know if you need any help. I will visit you at the hospital next week. Till then, bye.
Regards,
Prasad
This letter covers the requirements of the task, all the bullet points are addressed
sufficiently. The information and ideas are presented logically, and the paragraphing is
appropriate. Although there are some instances of poor word choice and grammar, most of
the sentences are error-free. It is best to avoid using contractions (e.g. youre, were) in
IELTS letters. Overall, seems worthy of Band 8.
Your neighbours have a dog that is noisy at night. You cant sleep. Write a letter to your
neighbours. In your letter:
- describe the problem with the dog
- explain why it is important for you to sleep
- outline what your neighbours could do about the situation.
Dear Mr Brown and Mrs Brown ,
I am writing to you to bring to your attention a problem that i have been having with your dog at
night.
As you may already be aware of, your dog started making small detours at night around the
neighborhood, digging holes in the gardens and often making loud noises. I was awoken by your dogs
barks several times lately, and I had even consult a doctor and had been prescribed some sleeping
pills.

This wouldnt have been as big of a problem for me if I wasnt in the middle of my exams, but since I
am, it is crucial for me to take good rest and sleep during the right hours; I have morning exams to
wake up to.
I will therefore be grateful if you could have your dog looked after by another member of your family
away from this neighborhood, even if only until my exams are over, which will be in about three weeks
time.
Thank you for taking time to read this letter, I hope to hear back from you with good news.
Yours sincerely,
Jeongsup Byun
This is a good letter on all accounts, except perhaps some inaccurate word choice and verb
forms (bring the mouse over the words in blue to see suggested corrections). Such letter
could be awarded Band 8 in a real IELTS exam.
You have recently ordered an item through the Internet, but are not happy with the
purchase. Write to the company. In your letter:
- describe what you purchased,
- explain why you are not happy with the purchase,
- tell them what you would like them to do about the situation.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing this letter to express my disappointment with a recent purchase on your online store,
order number #7298883. I ordered a set of soccer equipments that were advertised on your site as a
package including 3 pairs of socks and a pair of soccer boots. However, on their arrival I found out
that there were only 2 pairs of socks. In addition, there were scratches on the boots that suggest that
they had been used before and returned to your store.
I have since found the same offer on another website and will be returning the packages to your
office. I have read the refund policy, and as I am dissatisfied with the product, I would like to request
a return of all fees paid, as well as the postal and packaging fees. Should you have any questions, you
can contact me via email, my address is raymond_squared@live.com.
I look forward to a swift resolution to this matter.
Thanks for your time,

Raymond Jose
The student has sufficiently addressed all the points in the task statement. The information
is organized well and conveyed coherently. The paragraphing of the letter is fine. Even
though some minor grammatical errors are present in this letter, it is a very good one, and
seems worthy of Band 8.
Your friend is coming over to stay with you. However, you will be away on vacation for a
month. Write him/her a letter and say:
- How to get the keys to your flat
- How to operate the equipment in the flat, and
- Suggest a few places of interest to visit
Dear Susan,
Hope this finds you well. As I wrote to you in my previous letter, I am unable to cancel the finalised
trip visit my parents. But, soon after you arrive in Melbourne, contact Jessie, a good friend of mine on
0425680256. She offered her help to pick you up from the airport and you can collect the key from
her.
I must say that sometimes, the hot water geezer turns off automatically so, you might have to make
sure it is switched on before having a shower. Also, the gas heater fixed in the lounge does not work,
but you can use the oil heater in my bed room
If you have time you might enjoy visiting the Aquarium, the Queen Victoria Market and the Botanical
Gardens as these places are not that far from where I live. I hope you are happy with this
arrangement, but if you need more help or information please let me know.
Looking forward to hear from you.
With love,
Amber.
All the requirements of the task were covered fairly well. The bullet points were mentioned,
emphasized and illustrated in a suitable and logical way. The tone of this letter needs to be
less formal. The ideas are presented in a logical order and all aspects of cohesion are taken
care of well. The paragraphing is handled suitably and appropriately. Some sophisticated
words/expressions are used in a clever way, with only occasional errors in word

choice/expression choice. Most sentences are free of errors. Overall, seems worthy of Band
8.
You and your family are planning to spend a weekend at a seaside hotel.
Task: Write a letter to the hotel making the arrangements. Let them know when you will be
arriving and leaving, what type of rooms you would like, and ask them how much the
weekend will cost. Also enquire about activities and places of interest near the hotel.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing this letter to make arrangements for the stay during the weekend at your hotel and to get
more information on the places of interest and different activities nearby.
I will be arriving with my parents and wife to celebrate my parents wedding anniversary on the 4th of
July which will be on Saturday morning, and leaving on the 7th of July afternoon. I am looking to book
double-rooms with the attached bathroom for more privacy and convenience. I would love to have at
least one bedroom with the balcony or seaside view for my parents. I would also appreciate if you
could provide me with the list of activities that we can take part in during our stay for more fun and
adventure. I prefer the locations to be nearby the hotel as we are not familiar with the place.
Furthermore, I would also like to know if there are any historical sites or market nearby where we can
explore more about the places history and local culture.
You could send me the detailed information through email or fax no later than the 4th of July with the
total cost of stay during the weekend.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
A.G.
The student has addressed all the parts of the task statement fairly well. The information is
organized nicely and conveyed coherently. The grammar and sentence formation are mostly
fine, with only minor improvements needed. The range of vocabulary is adequate for the
requirements of the task response. Overall, this letter is a very good one, and seems worthy
of Band 8.
You have decided to leave your current employment. Write a letter to your employer.
Include the following in your letter:

- Explain why you are writing

- Explain why you have decided to leave the company
- Tell your employer what you plan to do after leaving your present employment
Dear Human Resource,
I am writing this letter in regards of terminating my contract with the organization as a Guest Service
Agent. The employment contract has stated a requirement of two weeks notice. Therefore, my last
day of employment will be on 25th of May 2012.
The decision made was due to personal reasons, as my family and I will be migrating to Singapore.
Recently my husband has been offered a managerial position in a five star hotel, which we thought
would be a better prospect for his career.
Once my family and I have settled down in Singapore, I plan to look for a work at home job.
This allows me to have flexibility with my time and would be able to take care of my children too.
Leaving the company is a great loss for me as I have learnt a lot and was given opportunities to grow.
Finally, I would like to thank you for the guidance provided during the period of my employment.
Yours sincerely,
Eve
This letter covers the requirements of the task, all the bullet points are addressed
sufficiently. The information and ideas are presented logically, and the paragraphing is
appropriate. Although there are some instances of poor word choice and grammar, most of
the sentences are error-free. Overall, seems worthy of Band 8.
You are not happy with the course you are doing at college and would like to change to a
different course. Write a letter to the college director requesting to change your course. You
should include details about:
- what course are you doing now
- why you are not satisfied with that course
- what course would you like to change to
Dear Mr. Hodgkins,
I am currently enrolled in an Italian cooking class at St. James and am writing regarding some
difficulties I have had doing this subject for the past two weeks. I would like to know if it is possible to
change my course.

I believe that the last day allowed for students to make any changes was Wednesday 5th June but, in
my situation, the circumstance is uncompromising. The fact is that, during the enrolment session, no
one mentioned that I needed to be literate in Italian, which Im not. Therefore, you will comprehend
that for me, getting an understanding of what the teacher is saying is beyond comprehensible.
Thus, I am requesting that my current enrollment be transferred from the Italian course to the French
cooking class. As unlike in Italian, I am fluent in French.
I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to you and the staff and look forward to hearing
from you.
Yours sincerely,
Sandrine Mo
The students response covers the task question very well, the sentences have good
structure, the level of formality is adequate and the vocabulary is suitable for the purpose.
Some expressions would sound better in different wording (see suggestions underlined in
blue). Overall, this letter is a very good one, and seems worthy of Band 8.5.