This is an IELTS writing task 1 letter from the real general training exam on the topic of writing a letter to a friend after moving to a new job and city.

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: New Job/City

Write a letter to a friend who worked at your previous company. You have moved to a new job in a new city.

• describe your city
• describe your job
• describe the arrangements for him to visit you

Hey Kim,

I just finished the big move and I wanted to let you know how it all went. So far San Fran has been an upgrade on L.A.. Might be just the honeymoon period but the public transport and layout of the streets here make a big difference. Beyond that, SF is everything you’ve heard – nice community feel, very gentrified, lots of hills, haha.

My new work hasn’t been as great off the jump. I started at my new design company this last week and I’m having trouble with my new boss. The other co-workers are cool but my immediate manager won’t give me the time of day. Maybe because I’m new or I did something to get on her bad side. I hope it’ll pass because my first assignments have been boring and basic – not what I was looking for when I applied here.

Anyway, really looking forward to seeing you on the weekend! Give me a ring when your flight gets in and I can either pick you up at the airport or I’ll leave a spare key with my neighbor (Apartment 7.05) and tell him to be on the lookout for you. There’s a guest bedroom so you can sleep there.

See you soon!

Regards,

Dave

Analysis

1. Hi Kim,

2. I just finished the big move and I wanted to let you know how it all went. 3. So far San Fran has been an upgrade on L.A.. 4. Might be just the honeymoon period but the public transport and layout of the streets here make a big difference. 5. Beyond that, SF is everything you’ve heard – nice community feel, very gentrified, lots of hills, haha.

1. Address the letter to someone.
2. Include your purpose for writing.
3. Add in some more detail if you want.
4. Keep adding detail for a higher task achievement score.
5. The more the better!

1. My new work hasn’t been as great off the jump. 2. I started at my new design company this last week and I’m having trouble with my new boss. 3. The other co-workers are cool but my immediate manager won’t give me the time of day. 4. Maybe because I’m new or I did something to get on her bad side. 5. I hope it’ll pass because my first assignments have been boring and basic – not what I was looking for when I applied here.

1. Begin to develop the second point.
2. Add more detail to it.
3. Keep developing it.
4. Remember that the letter should be informal.
5. And the more detail, the higher your task achievement score.

1. Anyway, really looking forward to seeing you on the weekend! 2. Give me a ring when your flight gets in and I can either pick you up at the airport or I’ll leave a spare key with my neighbor (Apartment 7.05) and tell him to be on the lookout for you. 3. There’s a guest bedroom so you can sleep there.

4. See you soon!

5. Regards,

6. Dave

1. Develop the last point.
2. Keep developing it.
3. Finish developing it.
4. Write a goodbye statement.
5. Use a phrase like regards or sincerely.
6. Write your name at the end.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

Hey Kim,

I just finished the big move and I wanted to let you know how it all went. So far San Fran has been an upgrade on L.A.. Might be just the honeymoon period but the public transport and layout of the streets here make a big difference. Beyond that, SF is everything you’ve heard – nice community feel, very gentrified, lots of hills, haha.

My new work hasn’t been as great off the jump. I started at my new design company this last week and I’m having trouble with my new boss. The other co-workers are cool but my immediate manager won’t give me the time of day. Maybe because I’m new or I did something to get on her bad side. I hope it’ll pass because my first assignments have been boring and basic – not what I was looking for when I applied here.

Anyway, really looking forward to seeing you on the weekend! Give me a ring when your flight gets in and I can either pick you up at the airport or I’ll leave a spare key with my neighbor (Apartment 7.05) and tell him to be on the lookout for you. There’s a guest bedroom so you can sleep there.

Answers

finished ended

big move making a change

let you know inform you

how it all went the result

so far at this point

San Fran San Francisco

upgrade improve

L.A. Los Angeles

honeymoon period nice time at the beginning of a new change/relationship

public transport subways, buses, etc.

layout city plan, streets, etc.

make a big difference help a lot

beyond that in addition

everything you’ve heard what has been said

community feel friendly atmosphere

gentrified taken over by rich people

hills not flat

off the jump from the very beginning

this last week the last 7 days

trouble difficulty

immediate manager boss right about you

won’t give me the time of day ignores me

get on her bad side dislikes me for some reason

pass get over it

not what I was looking for not what I was interested in

applied related to

really looking forward to seeing you can’t wait to see you

give me a ring call

flight gets in airplane arrives

either pick you up at the airport one option is to get you after you arrive

leave a spare key leave an extra key

neighbor person living next door

lookout keep an eye out for

guest bedroom extra room for guests to sleep

Pronunciation

ˈfɪnɪʃt 
bɪg muːv 
lɛt juː nəʊ 
haʊ ɪt ɔːl wɛnt
səʊ fɑː 
sæn frɑːn
ʌpˈgreɪd 
ɛl.eɪ..
ˈhʌnɪmuːn ˈpɪərɪəd 
ˈpʌblɪk ˈtrænspɔːt 
ˈleɪaʊt 
meɪk ə bɪg ˈdɪfrəns
bɪˈjɒnd ðæt
ˈɛvrɪθɪŋ juːv hɜːd 
kəˈmjuːnɪti fiːl
ˈʤɛntrɪfaɪd
hɪlz
ɒf ðə ʤʌmp
ðɪs lɑːst wiːk 
ˈtrʌbl 
ɪˈmiːdiət ˈmænɪʤə 
wəʊnt gɪv miː ðə taɪm ɒv deɪ
gɛt ɒn hɜː bæd saɪd
pɑːs 
nɒt wɒt aɪ wɒz ˈlʊkɪŋ fɔː 
əˈplaɪd 
ˈrɪəli ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈfɔːwəd tuː ˈsiːɪŋ juː 
gɪv miː ə rɪŋ 
flaɪt gɛts ɪn 
ˈaɪðə pɪk juː ʌp æt ði ˈeəpɔːt 
liːv ə speə kiː 
ˈneɪbə 
ˈlʊkˈaʊt 
gɛst ˈbɛdru(ː)m 

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Hey Kim,

I just f___________d the b__________e and I wanted to l_____________w h______________t. S________r S_________n has been an u__________e on L____.. Might be just the h__________________d but the p___________________t and l__________t of the streets here m__________________________e. B_____________t, SF is e_________________________d – nice c________________l, very g____________d, lots of h______s, haha.

My new work hasn’t been as great o_____________p. I started at my new design company t_______________k and I’m having t__________e with my new boss. The other co-workers are cool but my i____________________r w_____________________________y. Maybe because I’m new or I did something to g___________________e. I hope it’ll p_____s because my first assignments have been boring and basic – n___________________________r when I a___________d here.

Anyway, r_________________________________u on the weekend! G_________________g when your f_______________n and I can e___________________________t or I’ll l_____________________y with my n____________r (Apartment 7.05) and tell him to be on the l___________t for you. There’s a g_________________m so you can sleep there.

See you soon!

Regards,

Dave

Listening Practice

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

Reading Practice

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

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/04/san-francisco-city-apps-built-or-destroyed/587389/

Speaking Practice

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

Where you Live

1. Did you like the house you grew up in?
2. What was your favourite area of the house you grew up in?
3. Where do you want to live in the future?

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