You are due to start a new job next week but you will not be able to

because you have some problems.

Write a letter to your new employer. In your letter:
explain your situation
describe your problems
tell him/her when you think you can start.

You should write at least 150 words.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You do NOT need to write your own address.

model answer:
Dear Ms Barnes,
I am writing concerning the position of Assistant Office Manager that I am due
to begin next Monday. However, a problem has arisen.
As you know, I currently work for my uncles food-packing business, and you
will remember from my interview that I have gained valuable experience
there.
Unfortunately, he has had to go into hospital for an operation, leaving my aunt
in charge of both the home and the business. She has asked me, as this is a
particularly
busy time of year, to stay on and help her with the running of the office.
I realise this will be inconvenient to you, but very much hope that, given the
circumstances, you would be prepared to allow me to take up my position with
you two
weeks later than planned.
I would like to emphasise that I remain very keen to work with you, and that I
will be gaining further useful experience during this time.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,

You are unhappy about a plan to make your local airport bigger and
increase the number of flights. You live near the airport.
Write a letter to your local newspaper. In your letter:
explain where you live
describe the problem
give reasons why you do not want this development.

You should write at least 150 words.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You do NOT need to write your own address.

model answer:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing with regard to the article in your newspaper dated 7th
September. My house is situated within 20 minutes walk of the airport. Please
allow me to point out the problems which have caused serious damage on the
residential area. I am fully sure that the problems must be aggravated if the
plan is carried out to expand the airport and Increase the number of flights.
First of all, the low-flying aeroplanes are utterly distractive. They make such a
big noise that I cannot concentrate on housework at all. What is worse, I am
woken up by the late hour flights at midnight; I was diagnosed as Insomnia
the other day. I should call this situation noise pollution.
Secondly, I am afraid that the expansion of the airport may reduce the plot of
land for the playground which is under construction near the airport at the
moment. To sum up, I strongly disagree with the plan. I would appreciate if
you could possibly write the article about the problems and disagreement as I
said above.
Yours faithfully

You have just returned home after living with a family in an Englishspeaking country for six months.
You now realise that you left a small bag of personal possessions in
your room.
Write to the family describing the things you left behind. Ask them to
send some ar all of them to you. Offer to cover the costs.

You should write at least 150 words.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You do NOT need to write your own address.

model answer:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hooper,
I hope you are all well. The flight home seemed very long but my family all
came to meet me at the airpoint, which was fantastic. Thank you so much for
having me - I enjoy my time with you very much.
I have a favour to ask. When I got home, I realised that I had left a small
black handbag in my bedroom. You may recall that I bought myself a new bag
while I was in Sydney and I'm pretty sure I put the old one under the bed.
I don't really need the bag but some of the things inside are of sentimental
value and I would be very grateful if you could send them to me. There is a
red address book, a small leather wallet with some photos and a silver
necklace. None of the other things are important so please don't worry about
them. Could you please let me know how much the postage is and I will send
you the money to cover the cost.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you once again for your
help.
Love to all the family.

A friend of yours is going on holiday soon and has asked you to recommend a
destination.
Write a letter to your friend and recommend a good place for a holiday that you
have visited before. Say where you went, where you stayed, what you can do there
and what the food was like.
You should write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sarah,

Model answer
Dear Sarah,
Thanks for your letter. Im glad you and the family are well. So, youre thinking of going on
holiday in the UK. Well I can certainly recommend one destination for you. I went one year
to a place called Lochinver in the north west of Scotland. Its quite a long trip to get there
as its only about thirty miles from the north coast but its worth it.
There are only a few places to stay. There are two hotels, the Kirkaig and the Assynt in the
centre of town, and a campsite just outside town. We stayed at the Kirkaig Hotel but I
know you and your family are keen campers so you might prefer the camping option.
There is a lot to do but its a bit dependent on the weather. Theres a beautiful beach, a
golf course, the fishing is excellent and there are fantastic hills nearby for walking in
amazing scenery. If its wet theres a small cinema in town but thats about all. Take some
board games!
The food is typical British in the hotels but some of the Scottish specialities are fantastic. If
youre camping though, food will be up to you!
Anyway, Ive got to go out now and pick up the kids. Write again if you need any more
information.
Regards,

You have been invited to attend an interview for a place studying a course in a
college. Unfortunately because of a previous appointment you cannot come at the
time they wish.
Write a letter to the admissions tutor and explain your position. Apologise and offer
to come on another day or later the same day. Ask also how long the interview will
be and whether there will be any tests during it.
You should write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir,

Model answer
Dear Sir,
Thank you very much for your letter dated 15th May inviting me for an interview at your
college on Wednesday 2nd June at 10am. I am extremely sorry but I am unable to come
to an interview at that time because I have a maths exam that morning. It really cannot I
miss this exam but of course I really wish to attend the interview with you. Is it possible
that I could come to the interview the same day but in the afternoon? Failing that, I would
be able to come the next day or any day after.
I would also like to ask some things about the interview. I would like to know how long it
will last and also whether I will be required to do any tests during it.
Once again I apologise for not being able to attend the interview at the time that you
wanted and I hope I will be able to meet with you at another time.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,

You would like to buy some electrical goods at a shop in a nearby town.
Write a letter to the shop and ask if they have the things you want or whether they
will be able to order them. Ask what the prices are and how long they will be able to
hold the goods for you.
You should write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir,

Model answer
Dear Sir,
I am writing to enquire if you have various electrical goods that I want to buy. I have tried
shops in my own town but they dont have exactly what I want.
I want the new Sony DVD player, a Technics turntable and a radio with long wave
capability. Do you have these items in stock or, if not, will you be able to order them soon?
I also need to know what price you charge for these items. If you do have these things,
would you be able to hold them for me and for how long? I am free this weekend and, if
you have them, I can come over on Saturday morning to pay you and pick them up.
Please write back to me as soon as possible at the above address or call me on my
mobile number (07364 957 143). I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,

You are looking for a part-time job.

Write a letter to an employment agency. In your letter

introduce yourself

explain what sort of job you would like

and say what experience and skills you have

Writing Tip
1) Read the question carefully to make sure you have fully understood the function of the
letter, i.e. the reason for writing it.
2) Look at the three points and think of something to write about each of them.
3) Write a plan along the lines of the notes you wrote earlier.
4) Expand your plan into a full answer.
5) Leave time at the end to check your answer for errors in grammar, spelling and
punctuation.
Model answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a German national from Heidelberg and at present I am studying for a Masters
degree in Commercial Law here, at the University of Bielefeld, where I have been for the
last two months.
I am looking for a part-time job and I wonder if you can help me. Probably, I would like an
office job, perhaps working as a secretary, office administrator or typist. I can only work
during the afternoons and at weekends as my university studies occupy most of the day. I
would be ready to start immediately.
I am a competent typist and I am computer-literate. In addition, I speak Polish and German
fluently and I have been learning English for the past three years. While I studied for my
degree, I worked as a part-time office manager for an import-export firm in Heidelberg. In
recent years, I have also had temporary summer jobs as a hotel receptionist in Mannheim,
Germany.
I am looking forward to hearing from you,
Yours faithfully,
Heinrich Bukows

ou play a team sport with some friends. Last week a member of the team had an
accident and wasn't able to play with you at the weekend. You decide to write to him
in hospital, telling him about the match. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

tell him which team won

describe the conditions on the day

say how you felt about the match

IELTS Tip
You do not have time to write a detailed plan for your letter so think about drafting (writing
in rough) the opening line of each of the sections:
1) Opening
2) Main paragraphs
3) Closing
with notes on one or two main points. This will give your writing a sense of
direction.
Dear Frank,
I was so sorry to hear about your accident! I hope you're feeling a lot better today and that
it's not too boring in hospital.
(Expresses sympathy and asks about the reader's health.)
The match on Saturday was disappointing. The score was 2 all, probably because you
weren't there to score that extra goal! The awful thing was that we were winning until 10
minutes before the end, when suddenly they scored another goal. I was so shocked when
I saw the ball hit the back of the net.
(Tells him the score and briefly describes how you felt about the match.)
I think the weather was to blame. It was a really wet day and the pitch was very muddy. By
the end of the game you could hardly see the grass and we were sliding around in the
mud. Everyone was exhausted.
(Mentions the weather and conditions.)
Let us know when you're going home and we'll arrange for someone to bring you to watch
the next game. The rest of the team send their regards and we all wish you a speedy

recovery.
(Finishes with good wishes.)
Best wishes,

You have seen an advertisement in an English newspaper for a job working

in the City Museum shop during the holidays.
You decide to apply for the job. Write a letter to the director of the Museum.
In your letter:

introduce yourself

explain what experience and special skills you have

explain why you are interested in the job

IELTS Tip
Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully can both be used to close formal and semiformal letters.Yours faithfully is used when you don't know the name of the person
you are writing to.
Related Topic: Writing a letter

Model answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
Im writing to apply for the holiday job which you advertised recently in the
newspaper. I am a twenty-one-year-old student and I speak English quite well. At
present I am in my second year studying History at Lincoln College and I am very
keen to have a holiday job this summer. I am extremely good at adding up, so I
think I would be an asset to your shop.
My term finishes on 5th July and I am free until 20th September. Last year I
worked in a restaurant serving tourists from all over the world and I enjoyed it very
much. I would like to have the opportunity to meet people and practise my English
again.

I enjoy going to museums and am particularly keen on history. Last year I went to
an exhibition of Ancient Greek objects which was held in London. I have often
been in your museum and am familiar with the items you have. I do hope you will
be interested in my application.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours faithfully,
Many childhood diseases can now be prevented through the use of vaccines.
Should parents be made by law to immunise their children against common
diseases or should individuals have the right to choose not to immunise their
children?

IELTS Writing Tip

Sample answers to the tasks in the Practice Tests are provided in the Answers Section.
Please do not read these until you have attempted the tasks. Remember that these are
suggestions only and that your answers may be equally valid. It is valuable to discuss your
answers with other students.
The question of whether we should oblige parents to immunise their children against
common diseases is a social rather than a medical one. Since we are free to choose what
we eat or drink or how much exercise we take, why should the medical treatment we
decide to undergo be any different?
(Introduction poses a new question to introduce the topic)
Medical researchers and governments are primarily interested in overall statistics and
trends and in money-saving schemes, which fail to take into consideration the individual's
concerns and rights. While immunisation against diseases such as tetanus and whooping
cough may be effective, little information is released about the harmful effects of
vaccinations, which can sometimes result in growth problems in children or even death.
(Concessional argument)
The body is designed to resist disease and to create its own natural immunity through
contact with that disease. When children are given artificial immunity, we create a
vulnerable society, which is entirely dependent on immunisation. In the event that mass
immunisation programmes were to cease, the society as a whole would be more at risk

than ever before.

(Writer's opinion stated plainly and forcefully-as fact)
In addition there is the issue of the rights of the individual. As members of a society, why
should we be obliged to subject our children to this potentially harmful practice? Some
people may also be against immunisation on religious grounds and their needs must be
considered when any decisions are made.
(Main idea with supporting arguments)
For these reasons I feel strongly that immunisation programmes should not be obligatory
and that the individual should have the right to choose whether or not to participate.
Each year, the crime rate increases.
What are the causes of crime and what could be done to prevent this rise in criminal
activity?
The following expressions are useful when making concessions:
While/Although
It could be argued that
Despite the fact that
Admittedly / Certainly but/ However
Even though
It may be true that
Crime is an issue of increasing concern around the world, and more money than ever
before is being spent on the detection and punishment of criminal activity. The reasons
why people commit crime are countless, but drugs and alcohol, social problems and
poverty play a major role. To solve these problems, governments can either focus on
draconian punishments, or improve employment opportunities, invest in good housing
projects and tackle drug and alcohol abuse.
One of the main causes of criminality is the use, sale and trafficking of narcotics. For
example, the sale of drugs is organised by armed criminal gangs who illegally traffick
drugs and control their business with extreme violence. Drug-related crime does not end
there; drug users often steal to fund theft habit, resulting in further acts of petty crime. The
social problems connected with crime are said to be the result of single-parent families,
absent role models and bad living conditions. The children from these broken families
often become criminals because they feel alienated from society. Poverty is also a reason
behind crime. When unskilled jobs pay so little and prices are so high, it's easy to see why
some turn to crime for an income.

Crime can of, course, be dealt with by toughening criminal laws and introducing longer
custodial sentences for persistent criminals, but some of the best ways to deal with crime
may be to deal with the social causes. Increasing employment opportunities in poorer
areas would improve living standards, which would mean access to affordable housing
and education. Government funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes would
help reduce dependency on stimulants and the need for the criminal activity that
surrounds them.
In conclusion, crime is a major issue, but cracking down on offenders with a harsh penal
system is not the only way. These problems can be solved through the government
providing jobs and funding which should raise living standards and dramatically reduce
crime levels.

Celebrities make a very good living out of media attention and have chosen
to live in the public spotlight. They have no right to complain when they feel
the media are intruding on their privacy.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Write at least 250 words.
Model answer
Being famous should not mean that you give up all right to a private. Although a lot
depends on the reason why a person is famous, everyone should be able to enjoy
a certain amount of privacy.
I believe it is useful to draw a distinction between those who have sought a career
in the public eye and those who have not. Prominent performers in film, television
and music, for example, have clear chosen a career path that potentially leads to
fame. In fact, for many of them, becoming as widely known as possible is a key
ambition. Since they have invited the public to focus their attention on them, they
should not be too surprised to find that people are interested in gossip or scandal
about their private lives. Public attention is not something that you can turn on and
off at will. Having said that, even those who seek fame still deserve the protection
of the law and the media should be prevented from harassing them.
Other public figures, on the other hand, have not chosen to be famous. Members
of royal families are born into fame, as are the children of celebrities. Ordinary
people in the news often become well-known through no fault of their own. It is my
opinion that the media have no right to intrude into these peoples private lives. I
would even go so far as to say that I support an extension of the law to guarantee

their privacy. The media should be prevented from reporting on things that should
be private matters.
As the media continue to become more and more powerful in our society, so the
question of privacy becomes more important. Everyone deserves a private life,
although perhaps some deserve it more than others.

In general, people do not have such a close relationship with their

neighbours as they did in the past. Why is this so, and what can be done to
improve contact between neighbours?
Write at least 250 words.

Model answer
In the past, neighbours formed an important part of people's social lives and they
helped them when they had problems. Nowadays, people often do not even know
their neighbours and in consequence they live much more isolated lives.
There are a number of reasons why we have less contact with our neighbours.
Firstly, our lifestyles are more mobile. This means people may change the area
where they live quite frequently and this causes their relationships with their
neighbours to be more superficial. Secondly, nowadays people often live and work
in different places. This leads to people forming closer relationships with work
colleagues than the ones they have with their neighbours. Finally, modern lifestyles
make us spend more time inside our houses watching television, and when we go
out, we travel by car. Consequently, we do not speak to the people in our
neighbourhood so much.
There are a number of ways in which I think contact between neighbours can be
improved. First of all, local authorities can provide communal areas such as
playgrounds for children and community halls so that there are places where
neighbours can meet and make friends. Next, I think that when new neighbours
come to a street, the people living there ought to introduce themselves and
welcome them. Lastly, people living in a street or small district should form

neighbourhood associations and meet regularly to discuss the things which affect
them.
In conclusion, these suggestions will probably not make neighbours as important in
our lives as they were in the past. However, they will help our relationships with our
neighbours to become more useful and valuable.

Some people think that there are things individuals can do to help prevent
global climate change. Others believe that action by individuals is useless
and irrelevant and that it is only governments and large businesses which
can make a difference.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Write at least 250 words.
Model answer
Climate change is a phenomenon affecting all people in all walks of life, from
individual citizens to whole countries and huge multinational companies. The
question of what we can do to prevent global climate change and whether
individual action is effective or not is a hotly debated issue.
There are those who say that the majority of the damages is wrought by big
businesses. By imposing restrictions on emissions and by strictly monitoring waste
disposal from factories, plants and businesses, governments would go a long way
towards preventing climate change. It is thought that governments around the
world should come up with solutions to help prevent imminent environment
disaster. Proponents of this view claim that individual action is irrelevant in the face
of massive, wide-scale prevention policies set and controlled by governments.
On the other hand, there are a growing number of people who believe that
individual action combined with governmental and business action will do a lot
more to prevent climate change than if individual citizens were not involved. In a
world of six billion people, if everyone thought about the number of water they use,
how they dispose of their rubbish, whether or not something needs to be thrown

away or if they can, in fact, re-use certain items then we would be giving the
problem of climate change and its prevention a massive boost.
Taking both points into consideration, I firmly believe that individual citizens cannot
sit back and say it is someone elses responsibility to protect the environments; we
must all play our part-individual citizens, governments and big businesses alike.

Some people think that there are things individuals can do to help prevent
global climate change. Others believe that action by individuals is useless
and irrelevant and that it is only governments and large businesses which
can make a difference.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Write at least 250 words.
Model answer
Climate change is a phenomenon affecting all people in all walks of life, from
individual citizens to whole countries and huge multinational companies. The
question of what we can do to prevent global climate change and whether
individual action is effective or not is a hotly debated issue.
There are those who say that the majority of the damages is wrought by big
businesses. By imposing restrictions on emissions and by strictly monitoring waste
disposal from factories, plants and businesses, governments would go a long way
towards preventing climate change. It is thought that governments around the
world should come up with solutions to help prevent imminent environment
disaster. Proponents of this view claim that individual action is irrelevant in the face
of massive, wide-scale prevention policies set and controlled by governments.

On the other hand, there are a growing number of people who believe that
individual action combined with governmental and business action will do a lot
more to prevent climate change than if individual citizens were not involved. In a
world of six billion people, if everyone thought about the number of water they use,
how they dispose of their rubbish, whether or not something needs to be thrown
away or if they can, in fact, re-use certain items then we would be giving the
problem of climate change and its prevention a massive boost.
Taking both points into consideration, I firmly believe that individual citizens cannot
sit back and say it is someone elses responsibility to protect the environments; we
must all play our part-individual citizens, governments and big businesses alike.