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.
Your college is organising a careers day and you would like a local business owner to speak.
Write a letter to Ms Rahman, the business owner. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Ms Rahman,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter to a named person ends Yours sincerely, 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 Ms Rahman,
I am writing on behalf of Westbrook College to invite you to speak at our annual careers day. We have all admired the way you have built your bakery business in the town, and we believe your story would inspire our students.
The event will take place in the main hall, and around two hundred students aged between sixteen and nineteen will attend, along with some of their parents. Representatives from several local companies will also be present, and students will have the chance to ask questions and collect advice about their future.
We would be delighted if you could speak for about twenty minutes about how you started your business, the difficulties you faced and the skills that young people need to succeed. A short question-and-answer session could follow, if you are happy with that.
The careers day will be held on Thursday 18 October, and your talk would begin at 10.30 am. Lunch will be provided for all our guests.
I do hope you will be able to join us, and I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Helen Carter
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I would like to invite you to | formal way to ask someone to attend |
| The event will take place on | give the date and place |
| Please let me know whether you will be able to attend. | ask for a reply |
| Refreshments will be provided. | say food and drink will be available |
| I do hope you will be able to come. | express hope that the person accepts |
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, with the source.