Use the greeting, sign-off and paragraph plan below for this formal letter, write it on a 20-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model letter.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are a student and would like to spend a week doing work experience at a hospital.
Write a letter to the hospital's training coordinator. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter that begins Dear Sir or Madam ends Yours faithfully, followed by your full name.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 150 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am a sixth-form student at Greenwood College, and I am writing to ask whether I could do a week of work experience at your hospital.
I am studying biology, chemistry and mathematics, and I hope to become a nurse in the future. I have always been interested in caring for others, and I believe that seeing how a hospital works would help me to decide whether this career is right for me. I would also learn a lot about teamwork and communication.
My college has told us to do our placements in the summer term. I could therefore join you at any time between 10 and 21 June. If another week is easier for your staff, I will do my best to be flexible.
I would be grateful if you could tell me what I should bring on the first day. Should I wear a uniform, or my own clothes? Will I need to provide proof of identity or any health documents, such as vaccination records?
Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to your reply.
Yours faithfully,
Priya Sharma
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I would like to arrange a meeting to discuss | formal way to propose a meeting |
| Would it be possible to reschedule | polite way to ask to change a time |
| I propose that we meet on | suggest a time |
| Please confirm whether this date is convenient. | ask if a date suits the reader |
| I will make the necessary arrangements. | promise to organise things |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.
Look up the IELTS score a university asks for.