Your mentor recommended you to learn a new language and gave you the contact details of a teacher. Following his advice, you need to write a letter to the teacher. In your letter say: - what your motivation is to learn a new language - how the teacher can help you - when you will be ready to start
Sample Response
Dear Mr Hopkins, I have got your contact details from my teacher, Mr Abel, from the University of Aldora, and I am writing to you regarding the Spanish tuition classes that you offer to non-native English speakers. I am hoping that you would accept me as an apprentice. Last year, I applied for a visit visa to Chile, and I am glad to inform you that I have recently been granted my visa after waiting for 6 long months. As a well-travelled person, who has facile command of the Spanish Language, I hope that you can assist me in learning this beautiful language. My mentor told me that you might be willing to deliver a crash course in the Spanish Language to me so that I will be well equipped to hold conversations in Spanish before I embark on my South American adventure. Since my flight leaves on the 25th of August 2025, I am hoping you could start tutoring me as soon as practically possible. I await your kind response. Yours sincerely, Sam Duke
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Name target learners Original: English Suggested revision: Spanish Why it matters: The tuition is for learners of Spanish, not learners of English.
- 2. Use student relationship Original: accept me as an apprentice Suggested revision: take me on as a student Why it matters: An apprentice trains for a trade, whereas this request concerns language tuition.
- 3. Use visa term Original: visit Suggested revision: visitor Why it matters: “Visitor visa” is the standard noun phrase.
- 4. Use formal number style Original: 6 long months Suggested revision: six months Why it matters: A small number is conventionally written as a word in a formal letter.
- 5. Use course collocation Original: deliver a crash course Suggested revision: provide an intensive course Why it matters: This is a natural and appropriately formal description of the requested tuition.
- 6. Express intended ability Original: will Suggested revision: can Why it matters: “Can” expresses the ability the course is intended to create.
- 7. Use formal date Original: 25th of August 2025 Suggested revision: 25 August 2025 Why it matters: This is a concise standard date format for a formal letter.
- 8. Remove redundant adverb Original: as soon as practically possible Suggested revision: as soon as possible Why it matters: “Practically” adds no necessary meaning to the fixed phrase.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: As a well-travelled person, who has facile command of the Spanish Language, I hope that you can assist me in learning this beautiful language. Suggested revision: As you are well travelled and have an excellent command of Spanish, I hope you can assist me in learning the language. Why it matters: The original opening modifier incorrectly describes the writer rather than the teacher.
- 10. Use formal letter paragraphs Suggested revision: Separate the introduction, motivation, requested teaching support, preferred start date, and sign-off into distinct paragraphs. Why it matters: The single block obscures the progression through the three required points.
Suggested Rewrites
- English Spanish
- accept me as an apprentice take me on as a student
- visit visitor
- 6 long months six months
- deliver a crash course provide an intensive course
- will can
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter clearly explains the motivation to learn Spanish, requests a focused conversational course and gives a firm deadline before the flight, so the communicative purpose is achieved in an appropriately formal tone. Its main weakness is precision of expression: 'apprentice' is unsuitable for a language student, and the sentence beginning 'As a well-travelled person' mistakenly attributes Spanish fluency to the writer. Prioritize unambiguous, natural wording for roles and abilities.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All three bullet points are covered with relevant motivation, requested teaching support and a clear start window, while the tone remains suitable.
State the preferred lesson frequency or availability before 25 August to make the start request more practical.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter follows a clear sequence from referral and motivation to course needs and timing, but the one-paragraph presentation reduces separation of functions.
Use one paragraph each for the travel motivation, requested course and preferred start arrangements.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and often specific, but misused words such as 'apprentice' and overly ornate phrasing reduce naturalness.
Use direct terms such as 'student', 'intensive course' and 'conversational Spanish' instead of strained alternatives.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are generally controlled, though the dangling opening 'As a well-travelled person' and some tense choices create ambiguity.
Make the teacher the explicit subject of the experience clause and keep future course arrangements in consistent conditional forms.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
Your mentor recommended you to learn a new language and gave you the contact details of a teacher. Following his advice, you need to write a letter to the teacher. In your letter say:
- what your motivation is to learn a new language
- how the teacher can help you
- when you will be ready to start
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.