You are working for a company. You need to take some time off work and want to ask your manager about this. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter: - explain why you want to take time off work - give details of the amount of time you need - suggest how your work could be covered while you are away
Sample Response
Dear Mr Mclaren, I am writing to ask your permission to take a week's leave from work starting from 07th November 2025. As you know, I am doing my PhD at Monash University and I am in my final term. A week's leave would allow me to complete my exams and I am hoping that you would grant me the leave. The reason for taking time off work is to prepare and set for my final exams which will begin on November 08th. I understand the inconvenience this might cause to you but I have already talked to Jack and he is ready to share some of my responsibilities during my absence. Moreover, I will be available to receive emergency calls from the office and would check my emails and perhaps reply to the important ones during the interim. I would really appreciate your permission to grant me the unpaid leave from 07th November to 13th November 2025. I will join the office the next day. Thank you in advance for your kind cooperation. Yours sincerely, Naji Lichaa
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use the start date Original: starting from 07th November 2025 Suggested revision: starting on 7 November 2025 Why it matters: On is the appropriate preposition for a specific start date, and the date is clearer without an ordinal suffix.
- 2. Use formal study wording Original: doing Suggested revision: pursuing Why it matters: Pursuing is the more formal collocation for undertaking a doctoral degree.
- 3. Align the verb forms Original: I am hoping that you would grant Suggested revision: I hope that you will grant Why it matters: The direct present request requires hope with will rather than the mismatched progressive and conditional forms.
- 4. Use the exam collocation Original: prepare and set for my final exams Suggested revision: prepare for and sit my final exams Why it matters: Candidates prepare for and sit examinations; set means to create an exam.
- 5. Remove incorrect preposition Original: inconvenience this might cause to you Suggested revision: inconvenience this might cause you Why it matters: Cause takes the affected person directly without the preposition to.
- 6. Clarify temporary cover Original: share some of my responsibilities Suggested revision: take on some of my responsibilities Why it matters: Take on clearly expresses that Jack will cover duties during the absence.
- 7. Keep future forms parallel Original: would Suggested revision: will Why it matters: Will check should be parallel with will be available in the same coordinated sentence.
- 8. Remove duplicated permission Original: your permission to grant me Suggested revision: your approval of Why it matters: Approval of the leave avoids the illogical request for permission to grant permission.
- 9. Use return-to-work phrasing Original: join the office Suggested revision: return to work Why it matters: Return to work is the natural expression for resuming employment after leave.
- 10. Use concise request wording Original: ask your permission Suggested revision: request permission Why it matters: Request permission is a more concise formal collocation.
- 11. Soften the assumption Original: As you know Suggested revision: As you may know Why it matters: May know avoids assuming that the manager remembers the writer's study details.
- 12. State the reason directly Original: The reason for taking time off work is to Suggested revision: I need the leave to Why it matters: The revision removes repetitive framing and connects the leave directly to its purpose.
Suggested Rewrites
- starting from 07th November 2025 starting on 7 November 2025
- doing pursuing
- I am hoping that you would grant I hope that you will grant
- prepare and set for my final exams prepare for and sit my final exams
- inconvenience this might cause to you inconvenience this might cause you
- share some of my responsibilities take on some of my responsibilities
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter fully explains the examination-related reason for leave, specifies the exact week requested, and offers practical cover through a colleague, emergency calls, and email access. Its strongest feature is the considerate, professional handling of potential disruption; the main limitation is occasional wordiness and awkward phrasing. Prioritise concise workplace language and organise the reason, dates, and cover arrangements into distinct paragraphs.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear, all three bullet points are fully developed, and the respectful tone is appropriate for a manager.
Refine the request by stating which specific duties Jack will cover, adding practical detail without repeating the dates or reason.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter follows a logical sequence from the request and reason to cover arrangements and a courteous close.
Use separate paragraphs for the reason and dates, the cover plan, and the final request to make the structure easier to scan.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and appropriate for a formal leave request, with only a few awkward or repetitive expressions.
Replace 'prepare and set for my final exams' and 'permission to grant me' with 'prepare for and sit my final exams' and 'approval of my leave'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good range of complex sentences is mostly accurate, and errors do not impede communication.
Tighten conditional and prepositional forms, for example 'I hope you will grant the leave' and 'the inconvenience this may cause'.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You are working for a company. You need to take some time off work and want to ask your manager about this. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter:
- explain why you want to take time off work
- give details of the amount of time you need
- suggest how your work could be covered while you are away
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.