Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Writing: Tests 1–4

Your English-speaking friend has asked for your help with a college project he/she is doing about celebrating New Year in different countries.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

Say how important New Year is to people in your country

Describe how New Year is celebrated in your country

Explain what you like about New Year celebrations in your country

Dear Mia

It’s great to hear from you; your project sounds really interesting. I’d be happy to tell you about Tet in Vietnam.

Tet is short for Tết Nguyên Đán and it’s our New Year according to the lunar calendar. It’s the first day of spring and it’s usually in January or February. It’s really important to us as it’s a chance for the family to come together and we visit the graves of our ancestors. It’s probably the biggest festival in Vietnam and it’s a public holiday. We say if good things happen on the first day of the new year, the whole year will be full of blessings.

I always loved it as a child because I would get a red envelope with money inside it from the older members of the family. Now I like visiting friends and the extended family on the week of Tet and enjoying the lovely candied fruits that we have on this occasion.

I hope that helps. Do ask if there’s anything else you’d like to know.

All the best

Comments from another examiner

This is a full response to the task. The candidate addresses the first two bullet points in the second paragraph, then covers the last bullet in the third, but could add more about how New Year is celebrated. They mention [the biggest festival ... public holiday] but give no details about how it is celebrated.

However, the enthusiastic tone is just right for a letter to a friend, and progression in the response is clear. There are some effective linking expressions [according to | because | Now], although in the second paragraph, most sentences start with [It’s], so a wider range would improve the response.

The range of vocabulary includes some less common items and some good collocation [come together | good things happen], but it could be wider. Similarly, there is a mix of grammatical structures, including conditionals [if], but generally, the range is limited with simple structures and short, compound sentences. Overall, this is an appropriate and engaging response. To improve it, the range of cohesive devices and grammatical structures could be widened.

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Some people say that it is better to work for a large company than a small one. Do you agree or disagree?

Job seekers often question whether it is better to work for a large or a small company. I would personally prefer to work for a larger company, but I’d like to consider the advantages and disadvantages of both.

In general, larger companies can support their employees more effectively because they have access to more resources. These could include higher salaries, end-of-year bonuses, and other perks such as an excellent food service and even sports facilities. Large companies may also contribute more to your professional development, offering regular conferences and training courses.

The size of a large company is also an indication of their success, meaning that it can offer greater stability. There is also a better chance for promotion and career development in companies with many departments and a larger management structure. Of course, advancement may not come easily because it is hard to stand out when many employees are vying for the same role.

In small companies, you may feel less like a number and that your efforts actually make a difference. You will also need to wear different hats, which helps you develop a skill set that might not be possible in a larger company. The downside is a higher chance of strained relationships because working in close proximity with the same small group of people every day can be challenging. Small companies can also be unstable. If they lose a large account or consumer tastes change, your position could suddenly become precarious.

Based on the above, I’d say that the kind of company you work for depends on personal preference, but your future career prospects may be better in a large company.

Comments from another examiner

This response covers both aspects of the task, including the pros and cons of each type of workplace, with some useful detail and good supporting ideas. Ideas are logically organised and cohesion is very well managed throughout.

There are a range of linkers [Of course | Based on the above] and other cohesive devices [both | your | their | which], which means it is easy to read. Paragraphing is generally good, with the introduction and conclusion sitting separately. However, the second and third paragraphs would be better combined, as they both address ‘large’ companies.

Vocabulary is strong and there are some natural and sophisticated examples [vying for | wear different hats | strained relationships]. Grammar is flexible and accurate, with a range of structures including modals [can | may | could] and conditionals [If] as part of complex, multi-clause sentences. Errors are rare.

This is a good example of a high-level response.

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You are soon going to spend three months doing work experience in an organisation.

Write a letter to the manager of the organisation where you are going to do work experience. In your letter:

Thank the manager for the opportunity to do work experience

Explain what you hope to learn from the work experience

Ask some questions about the work experience you are going to do

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am excited to be starting work experience at the REN Broadcasting Corporation on 10 June and I would like to thank you very much for this opportunity. I am grateful to have the chance to gain some insight into the industry I wish to work in one day.

As I mentioned in my interview, I am especially interested in community television and would love to build on my skills in sound engineering. Besides this, I am hoping to develop my soft skills in areas such as teamwork, problem solving and effective communication.

I was wondering if it has been decided which team I will be working with and whether I will have a mentor assigned to me. I would like to prepare ahead of time if possible by doing some research. I also wanted to clarify whether I will be at the studio in Newtown or the headquarters in the city centre.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Comments from another examiner

This is a strong response to the task; it addresses all three bullet points and uses a suitable tone to communicate with the manager of the organisation. The response is presented in the correct letter format, with an appropriate ending, and there is clear progression throughout the letter.

The range of vocabulary is wide and precise [gain some insight into | develop my soft skills | mentor assigned], without errors. The writing contains a wide range of structures, including conditionals [if] and passives [it has been decided], with accurate multi-clause sentences.

This is a good example of a higher-level response.

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When we meet someone for the first time, we generally decide very quickly what kind of person we think they are and if we like them or not. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Some people say that we form an opinion about a person within thirty seconds of meeting them. A person’s clothing, facial expression, and even the way they shake hands can have a profound effect on our judgement. But is this natural human tendency good or bad?

There is something unfair about our inclination to judge people too quickly. Many people have had unfortunate life experiences that can affect their confidence when meeting new people. Shyness may make them appear aloof and cold, but this initially icy persona melts away when we allow them a bit of time to warm up. Others do not have the means to dress in a way that leaves an impression. Inevitably, if we write people off too quickly, we could miss out on potential friendships, business opportunities and even romantic relationships.

There is another side to this that is also worth considering. We are all aware of the effect first impressions can have. There is even a saying: you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Awareness of this reality should motivate us to always treat people in a friendly, respectful manner. If we strive to make a good impression on the people we meet, it increases our overall happiness and sense of well-being.

On balance, there is no doubt that judging people too quickly can have negative consequences. But knowing the power of first impressions can keep us on our toes, motivating us to question how we come across to others. Aside from this, the ability to read people quickly could also prevent us from being easily taken in by somebody with ulterior motives.

Comments from another examiner

This response presents both sides of the argument and the ending concludes that forming impressions early can be either positive or negative. The second paragraph presents the downsides of judging too rapidly: the impact of low confidence, being shy or not having smart clothes. It also notes that people could miss out on friendships, opportunities and romance if they judge too harshly.

The third paragraph is not entirely relevant. The question asks about the evaluation people make about the ‘kind of person’ and whether ‘we like them’ but this paragraph mainly gives advice on how to behave when meeting new people. It should be more aligned to the question and present the advantages of forming early impressions.

There is a very wide range of vocabulary with some higher-level items [affect their confidence | aloof | icy persona | strive to make | come across]. Overall, the response includes a variety of accurate complex grammatical structures, with many long sentences containing a number of clauses.

Vocabulary and grammatical structures are very strong, accurate and flexible throughout. To improve the response, the third paragraph could present more clearly the advantages of quick decisions about the people we meet.

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You recently bought some train tickets for a journey a week in advance. When you went to the station to catch the train, you were told you could not use the tickets and the staff were very unhelpful to you.

Write a letter to the train company. In your letter:

Describe the problem you had with the tickets

Say why you were unhappy with the staff

Suggest what action the train company should take

Dear Sir or Madam

I am writing to complain about the information on your website and the service I received at Central Station. Yesterday my elderly uncle and I arrived at Central intending to use the tickets we had purchased online to travel to Newcastle at 5.50pm. Unfortunately, we were told that our tickets were for off-peak and we couldn’t use them.

When I bought the tickets, it was not clear on the website that they were just for certain times. This needs to be clarified on your website as I can’t be the only one who has made this mistake. However, what really upset me was the unhelpful manner of the staff. When we asked what to do, instead of helping us to pay the difference and catch our train, the attendant waved us in the direction of a ticket machine with a long queue. We missed our train and waited an hour for the next one. Please train your personnel to be more proactive in future.

I hope you find this feedback useful and take it on board.

Yours faithfully

Comments from another examiner

This is a very strong response to the task: all three bullet points are addressed with a good level of detail, and the tone is suitable for a letter of complaint. There is clear progression throughout the letter and a very natural style.

The range of vocabulary is wide and includes many higher-level items [unhelpful manner of | pay the difference | direction of | proactive]. There is only one slip [off-peak / off-peak travel].

Overall, the response includes a variety of complex grammatical structures [intending to use], with numerous long sentences containing a number of clauses, including past perfect and modal forms [had purchased | couldn’t use].

This is already a very high-level response. To improve it, the final bullet point could be developed further, perhaps with an example of how the staff could be ‘more proactive’.

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In the past, most working people had only one job. However, nowadays, more and more people have more than one job at the same time.

What are the reasons for this development?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having more than one job?

It is increasingly common for people to hold down more than one job. Gone are the days when people could rely on one source of income to satisfy all their financial needs. I would like to consider the reasons for this change and outline its advantages and disadvantages.

People take on extra work because making ends meet has become so challenging. In recent years the cost of living has risen exponentially, making it a real challenge to break even at the end of the month. Additionally, advertising companies relentlessly promote the idea that more wealth means more happiness, a concept that many people believe. They may take on freelance jobs or weekend work in the hope of improving their lot in life.

A person with more than one job may experience several benefits. Diversifying your skills and gaining more experience can make you more employable when negotiating the highly competitive job market. Avoiding putting all your eggs in one basket is also a wise move as you have something to fall back on if one source of income stops.

There are also many downsides to this situation. Working for more than one company can quickly leave a person feeling overworked and burnt out. It also leaves limited time for being with family and friends or doing things you enjoy. What’s more, when you are spread too thin, you may produce poor-quality work.

Overall, I think it is important to remain balanced. Having an additional source of income can be beneficial if you keep work in its place, but it is not worth damaging your health and relationships for the sake of a slightly larger bank balance.

Comments from another examiner

This is a strong response. The candidate has addressed both questions and provided a range of extended ideas.

The reasons given for having more than one job include the need to earn more to keep up with the [cost of living] and the idea, sold to people by advertising, that we should earn as much as possible [more wealth means more happiness].

The pros and cons of having more than one job are well covered. Advantages include increasing your skills and experience to make you more employable and avoiding putting [all your eggs in one basket] in case you lose one job. Disadvantages include feeling [overworked] or [burnt out], and [limited time] to spend with family and friends and on hobbies, and producing [poor-quality work].

The response is logically organised with well-managed cohesion. There are some very good linkers [Gone are the days when | Additionally | What’s more] and accurate reference and substitution.

Vocabulary is accurate and wide ranging [satisfy ... financial needs | take on | risen exponentially | break even | improving their lot] with some sophisticated resource [putting all your eggs in one basket | burnt out | spread too thin]. Similarly, the range of grammatical structures is wide and flexible.

This is a very good example of a higher-level response.

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You recently attended a training course for your work. Your employer has asked you for your feedback on the training course.

Write a letter to your employer. In your letter:

Remind your employer what the course was about

Explain why the course was useful to you in your work

Suggest why the course may not be suitable for some of your other colleagues

Dear Ms Karim,

Thank you very much again for sending me on the Workplace Safety course. It was valuable training and I now feel a lot more confident that I know how to prevent accidents in the factory. We covered points such as safe storage, keeping access ways clear and fire safety.

I can report that I have already used the skills I learned; when I noticed some cables that were a trip hazard and also a large bin that was partially blocking the exit, I was able to identify and fix those problems straight away.

I understand that employees who started working with us this year have already received this training as part of their orientation but for those who have been here longer, it would be a good opportunity to refresh and add to their knowledge.

It is a well-run course that is very relevant to our workplace and I am grateful for the opportunity.

Many thanks

Comments from another examiner

This is a good response to the task: it addresses all three bullet points, uses a suitable tone to communicate with an employer and is presented in the correct letter format. There is clear progression throughout the letter, but there could be more evidence to justify why the course might not be suitable for colleagues (the final bullet point). There are some effective cohesive devices [that | those who], but a wider range of linking expressions than [and | but] would improve the final rating.

Vocabulary is used well, and there is some effective collocation [prevent accidents | trip hazard | partially blocking]. Grammatical structures include simple and complex examples [started working with us | have been here longer], but most of the letter is in the past simple and past simple tenses.

To achieve the highest scores, the candidate would need to include a wider range of cohesive devices and grammatical structures. They could improve the response by providing further suggestions on why the course may not be suitable for other colleagues. Overall, it is a good response.

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Some people dislike changes in their society and in their own lives, and want things to stay the same.

Why do some people want things to stay the same?

Why should change be regarded as something positive?

It is true that nothing in life is permanent except change. Changes in society and our own lives are inevitable. We all get older, friends and family move away, and our employment situation can suddenly change. Understandably, many people wish everything could stay the same. In this essay, I would like to consider the reasons for this view and explain why it is better to embrace change.

Wanting to feel in control of our lives is perfectly normal. We often feel vulnerable when events in society occur which are beyond our control or when we cannot be sure of the outcome of something. The uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is an example of this. Changes in our personal circumstances can also be hard to accept. For example, when a friend or family member moves away, we may experience a deep sense of loss. Ironically, even good changes can bring uncertainty. If we receive a promotion, we may struggle with imposter syndrome and wrestle with a fear of failure.

Despite these perfectly natural feelings, I think it is good to embrace change. Since change is unavoidable, it is much better to accept reality than to become consumed by negative thinking. When we remain positive, we may find that a change actually benefits us in the long run. Adapting to change also helps us develop resilience, a quality that can help us face an obstacle and see an opportunity in it.

As highlighted above, sooner or later, we will all face change. While change is unsettling, it is vital to keep focused on the positive aspects of our circumstances. Doing so can help us unlock new opportunities we didn’t know were available to us.

Comments from another examiner

This essay is a high-level response that covers all aspects of the question. In the second paragraph, reasons are presented on why people in society as a whole and individuals might resist change. Then, the third paragraph gives clear reasons to suggest that, overall, this is a positive process. The position is consistent and the conclusion ties both areas together for a strong finish.

Ideas are logically organised. Cohesive devices [Ironically | Despite these | As highlighted above | Doing so can] are used highly effectively and paragraphing is helpful.

Vocabulary is natural and sophisticated [embrace change | deep sense of loss | consumed by negative thinking | develop resilience]. Sentence structure demonstrates full flexibility, with a wide range of complex examples within a range of largely error-free multi-clause sentences.

Little needs to be added to improve the rating other than possibly an example to illustrate why changes should be seen as positive, in the third paragraph. However, this is a very good high-level response.

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Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Writing

Test

Task

Writing Task 1 Letter

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Writing Task 2

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Writing Task 1 Letter

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Writing Task 2

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Writing Task 1 Letter

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Writing Task 2

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Writing Task 1 Letter

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Writing Task 2

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Test

Task

Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Writing Test 1

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Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Writing Test 2

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Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Writing Test 3

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Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Writing Test 4

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