This is an IELTS writing task 1 letter from the real general training exam on the topic of writing a letter about a part-time job while studying abroad.

Please consider supporting my efforts to creative high quality IELTS materials for students around the world by signing up for my Patreon (and don’t miss any of my exclusive IELTS Ebooks)!

Dave

IELTS Essay: Part-Time Job Letter

You are going to another country to study. You would like to do a part-time job while you are studying, so you want to ask a friend who lives there for some help. 

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter

• Give details of your study plans
• Explain why you want to get a part-time job
• Suggest how your friend could help you find a job

Hi Sarah!

We just spoke on the phone but it totally slipped my mind to let you know that I got accepted to the University of Melbourne and I’ll be headed to your city soon! I’m going to be studying finance and I will arrive for induction in a few months (assuming the pandemic is under control by then).

I’m writing now because I was wondering if you could look into finding part-time work for me when I get there. I’ll be living off-campus and my parents aren’t going to be able to send me money consistently – that’s why I need some work in the 20-30 hour range monthly.

If you could ask around at your school, that would be a tremendous help. Also, if you see any help wanted ads around town, it’d be great if you could snap a picture so that I could email or call. Any other ideas you have are welcome!

Thanks for your help!

Huynh

Analysis

1. Hi Sarah!

2. We just spoke on the phone but it totally slipped my mind to let you know that I got accepted to the University of Melbourne and I’ll be headed to your city soon! 3. I’m going to be studying finance and I will arrive for induction in a few months (assuming the pandemic is under control by then).

1. Address the letter to someone.
2. You can begin with a greeting.
3. Include the first bullet point.
4. Add in some more detail if you want.

1. I’m writing now because I was wondering if you could look into finding part-time work for me when I get there. 2. I’ll be living off-campus and my parents aren’t going to be able to send me money consistently – that’s why I need some work in the 20-30 hour range monthly.

1. Begin to develop the second point.
2. Add more detail to it.

1. If you could ask around at your school, that would be a tremendous help. 2. Also, if you see any help wanted ads around town, it’d be great if you could snap a picture so that I could email or call. 3. Any other ideas you have are welcome!

4. Thanks for your help!

5. Huynh

1. Develop the last point.
2. Keep developing it.
3. The more detail, the better!
4. Add an ending sentence.
5. Write your name at the end of the letter.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Take notes on a piece of paper to aid memory retention.

Hi Sarah!

We just spoke on the phone but it totally slipped my mind to let you know that I got accepted to the University of Melbourne and I’ll be headed to your city soon! I’m going to be studying finance and I will arrive for induction in a few months (assuming the pandemic is under control by then).

I’m writing now because I was wondering if you could look into finding part-time work for me when I get there. I’ll be living off-campus and my parents aren’t going to be able to send me money consistently – that’s why I need some work in the 20-30 hour range monthly.

If you could ask around at your school, that would be a tremendous help. Also, if you see any help wanted ads around town, it’d be great if you could snap a picture so that I could email or call. Any other ideas you have are welcome!

Thanks for your help!

Huynh

Answers

Practice writing sentences with the words below on a piece of paper:

just spoke talked recently

totally slipped my mind completely forgot about it

let you know inform you

accepted allowed into

headed going to

finance study of money

arrive get there

induction initial welcoming information/days

in a few months soon

assuming given that

pandemic worldwide problem

under control not a big problem anymore

by then at that time

wondering thinking

look into try to find

part-time work not full-time work

get there arrive

living off-campus not living in dorms

consistently all the time

range monthly around each month

ask around seek out

tremendous help big aid

help wanted ads around town advertisements for work around the city

snap take a picture

Any other ideas you have are welcome! Let me know if you’ve got other ideas!

Pronunciation

Practice with this tip using Google voice search to improve your pronunciation:

ʤʌst spəʊk 
ˈtəʊtli slɪpt maɪ maɪnd 
lɛt juː nəʊ 
əkˈsɛptɪd 
ˈhɛdɪd 
faɪˈnæns 
əˈraɪv 
ɪnˈdʌkʃən 
ɪn ə fjuː mʌnθs 
əˈsjuːmɪŋ 
pænˈdɛmɪk 
ˈʌndə kənˈtrəʊl 
baɪ ðɛn
ˈwʌndərɪŋ 
lʊk ˈɪntuː 
pɑːt-taɪm wɜːk 
gɛt ðeə
ˈlɪvɪŋ ɒf-ˈkæmpəs 
kənˈsɪstəntli 
reɪnʤ ˈmʌnθli
ɑːsk əˈraʊnd 
trɪˈmɛndəs hɛlp
hɛlp ˈwɒntɪd ædz əˈraʊnd taʊn
snæp 
ˈɛni ˈʌðər aɪˈdɪəz juː hæv ɑː ˈwɛlkəm!

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Hi Sarah!

We j___________e on the phone but it t__________________________d to l_______________w that I got a___________d to the University of Melbourne and I’ll be h________d to your city soon! I’m going to be studying f__________e and I will a______e for i__________n i__________________s (a_____________g the p____________c is u______________l b__________n).

I’m writing now because I was w____________g if you could l__________o finding p_____________k for me when I g__________e. I’ll be l___________________s and my parents aren’t going to be able to send me money c____________y – that’s why I need some work in the 20-30 hour r__________________y.

If you could a_______________d at your school, that would be a t______________________p. Also, if you see any h______________________s a_____________n, it’d be great if you could s______p a picture so that I could email or call. A____________________________________e!

Thanks for your help!

Huynh

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1G5kTSGCTw

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

Living in Melbourne

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Where you Live

My sample speaking for these questions is here.

1. Where do you live at the moment?
2. What do you like about your neighborhood?
3. Are there any parks where you live?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:

Your friend is going to stay in your apartment while you are away. Write a letter to your friend and include:

• Where the key is
• Instructions to look after the apartment
• What should he/ she do on the day of your return

IELTS Essay: Letter to a Friend about your Apartment