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 Matthew,
I am writing to formally request some time off work due to a personal commitment that requires my immediate attention. I am hoping that you will allow me a leave for two weeks effective from the next week.
I would like to take two weeks’ leave from 7th June to 20th June. The reason for this is that my younger sister is undergoing a major medical procedure, and my presence is essential to provide the necessary care and support during her recovery. Given the circumstances, I would request you to accept my leave request.
To ensure minimal disruption to our team’s workflow, I have taken steps to delegate my responsibilities in advance. I will ensure that all urgent tasks are completed before my departure, and I am happy to brief a colleague who can oversee any ongoing projects in my absence. Additionally, I will remain available via email for any critical matters that may require my input.
I would appreciate your approval for this leave at your earliest convenience. Please let me know if you require any further details.
Yours sincerely,
Elizabeth Lancaster
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. State leave amount early Original: formally request some time off work Suggested revision: formally request two weeks' leave Why it matters: Naming the amount immediately makes the purpose more precise.
- 2. Use direct polite hope Original: I am hoping that you will allow Suggested revision: I hope that you will allow Why it matters: The simple present is more concise while retaining a courteous tone.
- 3. Correct start-time phrase Original: effective from the next week Suggested revision: starting next week Why it matters: Next week normally takes no article, and starting is the natural way to introduce the leave period.
- 4. Use formal date style Original: 7th June to 20th June Suggested revision: 7 June to 20 June Why it matters: Formal British correspondence normally omits ordinal endings in dates.
- 5. Use courteous approval request Original: I would request you to accept my leave request Suggested revision: I would be grateful if you could approve my leave request Why it matters: The conditional clause is polite and avoids the incorrect request someone to accept structure.
- 6. Use email preposition Original: via Suggested revision: by Why it matters: By email is the conventional phrase for this communication method.
- 7. Condense urgent-matter phrase Original: critical matters that may require my input Suggested revision: urgent matters requiring my input Why it matters: The revision is shorter and preserves the intended limitation on availability.
- 8. Clarify approval object Original: approval for this leave Suggested revision: approval of this leave request Why it matters: Approval of a request is the more precise noun-preposition construction.
- 9. Specify handover arrangement Suggested revision: Name the colleague or role that could cover the work and identify the main ongoing tasks to be handed over. Why it matters: This would make the proposed coverage plan concrete enough for the manager to assess.
Suggested Rewrites
- formally request some time off work formally request two weeks' leave
- I am hoping that you will allow I hope that you will allow
- effective from the next week starting next week
- 7th June to 20th June 7 June to 20 June
- I would request you to accept my leave request I would be grateful if you could approve my leave request
- via by
Why this response received Band 8.5
The letter fully achieves its purpose by giving a compassionate and specific reason for leave, exact dates, and a practical coverage plan involving early completion, delegation, briefing, and limited email availability. Its strongest features are the professional tone, focused paragraphing, and persuasive detail; there is no significant score-limiting weakness. The highest-priority refinement is to remove minor repetition and use the natural phrase 'grant me two weeks' leave'.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All three requirements are fully and convincingly developed with exact leave dates and a realistic plan to minimise workplace disruption.
As a final practical refinement, name the colleague who could oversee ongoing projects or offer to agree this person with the manager.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter is exceptionally easy to follow, with focused paragraphs for the request, reason, work coverage, and courteous closing.
Remove the repeated leave request at the end of the second paragraph to make the progression even more concise.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is precise, varied, and appropriately formal across the personal reason, operational planning, and approval request.
Replace 'allow me a leave' with the idiomatic 'grant me two weeks' leave' while preserving the professional register.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately, with strong control of agreement, punctuation, and conditional meaning.
Refine the opening time phrase to 'starting next week' or rely solely on the exact dates given in the following paragraph.
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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.