A museum near your home is looking for people to do part-time voluntary/unpaid work. You would like to do some voluntary/unpaid work at the museum. Write a letter to the museum director to apply for the voluntary/unpaid work. In your letter: - explain why you want to do voluntary/unpaid work at the museum - describe some skills and qualities you have that would be useful - give details of when you would be available for work
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing this letter in response to a recent vacancy announcement at your museum in which you have asked for people to do part-time voluntary or unpaid work. I would like to volunteer at your museumwork for your museum as a volunteer, and I hope you will consider my applicationI am hoping that you would give me the opportunity. I am interested in taking this opportunityavailing this great opportunity because I think that it would allow me to learn valuable skillssome great skills to build a stronger careerto have a better career in the future. Besides, it would also help me understand many important aspectsparts of my country’s history that I might not otherwise discoverwhich I would probably never know otherwise. Regarding my skills, I have good computer skills, and I also know how to work well in a team environment with other people. Besides, I have taken an art history class in high school to help me understand and appreciate the value of artworks. On top of that, I also live close to your museum which would really make it easy for me to commute. So, if you select me for this voluntary rolechoose to hire me for this voluntary position, I will work hard to add value to your team. I am available to work every day from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm except on Sunday, and if you decide to hire me, I can start right away. I am hoping to hear a positive response from you. Yours faithfully, Joseph Myer
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter presents a clear, suitably formal application and develops all three required areas with specific reasons, relevant abilities, and precise availability. Its strongest feature is the complete and practical response to the museum's needs, while its main limitation is occasional awkward or repetitive wording. Improving collocations and varying transitions would make the application sound more natural and professionally polished.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all bullet points are fully developed, and the formal tone is consistently appropriate.
Link the stated computer and teamwork skills more directly to specific duties the museum might require.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter follows a logical sequence and each main point is clearly signposted, although some linking expressions are repeated.
Reduce repetition of connectors such as 'Besides' and use paragraph breaks to sharpen the organisation.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a sufficient range of formal and topic-relevant vocabulary, but several collocations sound unnatural.
Use more idiomatic phrasing, for example 'take advantage of this opportunity' instead of 'avail this great opportunity'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are used with good overall control, and grammatical errors are infrequent and non-impeding.
Tighten conditional and relative-clause phrasing to make the longer sentences more concise and natural.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
A museum near your home is looking for people to do part-time voluntary/unpaid work. You would like to do some voluntary/unpaid work at the museum. Write a letter to the museum director to apply for the voluntary/unpaid work. In your letter:
- explain why you want to do voluntary/unpaid work at the museum
- describe some skills and qualities you have that would be useful
- give details of when you would be available for work
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.