You want to arrange a conference for your company, and you need to ask one of your colleagues to give a presentation in this conference. Write a letter to your colleague. In your letter include: - Details about the conference - Why you want your colleague to give presentation - What arrangement will you do for this conference
Sample Response
I’m writing because we didn’t get a chance to talk after work on Friday and I need a favour. The conference I’ve been planning is coming up next week (on the topic of ‘The Use of Technology in Modern Education’ in case you forgot). It will take place at the Gem Plaza on the 23rd beginning at 10:30 in the morning.
One of our scheduled panelists on the benefits of incorporating social media had to cancel due to Covid-19 restrictions and my mind immediately turned to you. You’re an expert about these apps in your personal life but I’ve also noticed how you try to integrate social media platforms into your lessons. You would be part of the panel but no preparation is necessary.
If you accept, then we will arrange for a taxi to pick you up for the conference at 9:30 am. We will provide a speaker’s fee for the day and there is a ceremony after the event during which we will have dinner and you are of course invited.
Please let me know if you would like to take part in this conference.
Regards,
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Add a greeting Original: I’m writing because Suggested revision: Dear [Colleague’s name], I’m writing because Why it matters: A direct greeting would complete the opening of this semi-formal letter.
- 2. Soften the reminder Original: in case you forgot Suggested revision: as you may remember Why it matters: This phrasing sounds more tactful when reminding a colleague of the topic.
- 3. Clarify the panel role Original: on Suggested revision: discussing Why it matters: The participle discussing clearly connects the panelist with the subject of the panel.
- 4. Correct the preposition Original: about Suggested revision: on Why it matters: Expert commonly takes on when referring to a subject area.
- 5. Add a comma Original: personal life but Suggested revision: personal life, but Why it matters: A comma is needed before but when it joins two independent clauses.
- 6. Remove redundant linking Original: If you accept, then Suggested revision: If you accept, Why it matters: Then is unnecessary because the conditional relationship is already clear.
- 7. Complete the sign-off Original: Regards, Suggested revision: Regards, [Your name] Why it matters: Adding the sender's name completes the conventional letter ending.
- 8. Sentence rewrite Original: We will provide a speaker’s fee for the day and there is a ceremony after the event during which we will have dinner and you are of course invited. Suggested revision: We will provide a speaker’s fee for the day. After the event, there will be a ceremony and dinner, to which you are of course invited. Why it matters: Separating the arrangements makes the long sentence clearer and easier to follow.
- 9. Define the presentation Suggested revision: Clarify what presentation or panel contribution your colleague should give and reconcile that request with the claim that no preparation is necessary. Why it matters: The task asks for a presentation, while the current paragraph only offers an unspecified panel role.
Suggested Rewrites
- I’m writing because Dear [Colleague’s name], I’m writing because
- in case you forgot as you may remember
- on discussing
- about on
- personal life but personal life, but
- If you accept, then If you accept,
Why this response received Band 8.0
The letter is highly effective: it gives specific conference details, provides a convincing reason for choosing the colleague, and explains practical arrangements in a natural semi-formal tone. The main limitation is a small amount of imprecision in phrasing and in defining the requested role as a panel contribution rather than explicitly as a presentation. Clarifying that responsibility would make the request fully exact.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All bullet points are fully developed with specific, relevant information, and the request maintains an appropriate collegial tone.
State explicitly whether the colleague will deliver a presentation or join a panel so the requested role matches the prompt exactly.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically through the event details, rationale, arrangements, and final request, with effective paragraphing and cohesion.
For maximum clarity, separate the speaker's fee from the post-event dinner rather than joining both arrangements in one long sentence.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, precise, and natural overall, with effective topic-specific language used flexibly.
Refine the minor collocation expert about these apps to expert in using these apps.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence forms is used accurately, and the few minor lapses do not impede communication.
Polish punctuation in the longest sentences to maintain the same strong control throughout.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You want to arrange a conference for your company, and you need to ask one of your colleagues to give a presentation in this conference. Write a letter to your colleague. In your letter include:
- Details about the conference
- Why you want your colleague to give presentation
- What arrangement will you do for this conference
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.