IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: Job Inquiry Letter

If you’re taking the IELTS General Training test, you may be asked to write a letter applying for a job or inquiring about an employment opportunity. This type of letter is common in real life and in the exam — and it’s your chance to show you can write politely, clearly, and persuasively.

​In this post, we’ll look at an official question prompt and a complete sample answer, explain how it meets the IELTS requirements, and highlight useful language and structure you can use in your own exam.

Here's the prompt:

During a recent plane journey, you sat next to a businessman who owns a chain of restaurants. You talked to him and he suggested that you should contact him about a possible Job in one of his restaurants.

Write a letter to this businessman. In your letter
​
• remind him when and where you met
• tell him what kind of Job you are interested in
• say why you think you would be suitable for the job

Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ………………,

In IELTS General Training Task 1, this would be classified as a Job Application or a  Job Inquiry letter.
More specifically:

• Application Letter – because you are expressing interest in a job, describing your qualifications, and persuading the reader you’re suitable.
• Follow-up Inquiry – since you’re contacting someone after a prior conversation, it’s not a “cold” application but a polite follow-up.

In IELTS terms, this falls under a formal or semi-formal letter (tone depends on whether you already know the person). Here, because you met but are not personally close, a semi-formal tone is appropriate — polite but not overly stiff.

Here's a sample response:

Dear Mr. dela Cruz,
I hope you are doing well. We met recently on a flight to Kuala Lumpur, where we had a great conversation about your chain of restaurants. You had kindly mentioned that I could get in touch with you about possible job opportunities, so I am writing to follow up. 

I’m particularly interested in working as a barista. I have completed barista training and passed the national skills assessment, and I also have two years of experience working in an upscale café in my city. This role has allowed me to develop a good command of coffee preparation techniques and provide excellent customer service especially in a fast-paced environment.  

I believe my training, hands-on experience, and enthusiasm for the job would make me a good fit for your team. I would be happy to share more about my background and discuss how I could contribute to one of your restaurants.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
​
Best regards,
[Full Name]

(164 words)

​Let's look at why this is an appropriate letter and why it fulfills the different criteria in Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.

1. Opening Greeting 
​"Dear Mr. dela Cruz,"
​

• Polite and respectful – Using Dear + title + surname is a standard business letter convention. It immediately signals courtesy and professionalism, which is important when you’re requesting a job.
• Semi-formal tone fit – You’ve met this person before, so you don’t need the full stiffness of Dear Sir/Madam, but you also can’t use their first name casually. Using their title and last name strikes the right balance.

2. Paragraph 1
"I hope you are doing well. We met recently on a flight to Kuala Lumpur, where we had a great conversation about your chain of restaurants. You had kindly mentioned that I could get in touch with you about possible job opportunities, so I am writing to follow up."

• This paragraph addresses bullet point 1: remind him when and where you met. The wording is clear and natural.

3. Paragraph 2
"I’m particularly interested in working as a barista. I have completed barista training and passed the national skills assessment, and I also have two years of experience working in an upscale café in my city. This role allowed me to develop  a good command of coffee preparation techniques and provide excellent customer service especially in a fast-paced environment."

• This paragraph addresses bullet point 2: tell him what kind of job you are interested in. The letter specifies what job you're interested in, as well as job experience in this field that has given you deeper skills. This leads nicely to bullet point 3.

​
4. Paragraph 3
"I believe my training, hands-on experience, and enthusiasm for the job would make me a good fit for your team. I would be happy to share more about my background and discuss how I could contribute to one of your restaurants."

• (This paragraph fullfills bullet point 3: why you are suitable. The sentence "I would be happy to share more..." is a polite offer to discuss further that shows interest without being pushy.

5. Closing statement / Paragraph 4
"Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you."

• This closing statement is polite but not overly formal — ideal for a semi-formal letter to someone you have met before. "Thank you for your time" politely acknowledges that the reader is taking time to read and consider your letter. "I look forward to hearing from you" communicates that you expect and welcome a response without sounding too demanding.

6. Sign-off
"Best regards,
[Your Full Name]"
​

• This is an appropriate sign-off for a semi-formal letter.  It's not too casual like Best, Cheers, or Take care, which would be too friendly for a job inquiry.
• It's not too formal like Yours faithfully, which is reserved for letters where the recipient’s name is unknown (e.g., for a letter that starts with Dear Sir/Madam).

---

Here's a breakdown based on the band descriptors:

1. Task Achievement 

• Fully addresses all three bullet points:
  1. When and where you met → clearly stated in the opening paragraph (“on a flight to Kuala Lumpur”).
  2. What kind of job → specific job title given (“barista”) and expanded upon.
  3. Why suitable → includes training, qualification (national assessment), and two years’ experience, with relevant skills described.
• Purpose is clear from start to finish: The reader knows why the letter is written and what is being requested.
• Tone is appropriate: Slightly less formal but still polite and respectful — perfect for a follow-up letter to someone you’ve already met.
• Task is well-developed: Gives enough detail to be convincing without being repetitive.

2. Coherence and Cohesion

• Logical structure:
  • Greeting and polite opening
  • Reminder of meeting context (bullet point 1)
  • Job interest and background (bullet points 2 & 3)
  • Polite closing
• Smooth progression of ideas: Each paragraph moves naturally to the next; no abrupt jumps.
• Cohesive devices:
  • Linking phrases: “where we had a great conversation…”, “so I’m writing to follow up”, “and I also have two years of experience…”, “This role allowed me to…”, “I believe…”.
  • These are varied and natural, avoiding mechanical repetition of connectors like and or because.

3. Lexical Resource

• Varied vocabulary appropriate to context:
  • “pleasant conversation”, “get in touch”, “possible job opportunities”, “passed the national skills assessment”, “fast-paced environment”, “a good fit for your team”.
• Precise language: Instead of vague words like “good”, uses specific skill-related terms like “coffee-preparation techniques”, “customer service”.
• No slang or overly casual language: Maintains semi-formal tone.

​
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy 

• Accurate sentence structures:
  • Complex sentence (one independent clause and at least one dependent clause): "This role allowed me to develop  a good command of coffee preparation techniques and provide excellent customer service especially in a fast-paced environment."
  • Compound (two or more independent clauses): “I have completed barista training and passed the national skills assessment, and I also have two years of experience…”
• Variety of tenses used correctly: Present perfect for qualifications/experience, past simple for the meeting.
• No grammar errors: Subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and word order are all correct.