Formal Letter Applying for a Community Centre Role
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 245 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
You have seen an advertisement for a part-time position at your local community centre, helping to run weekend activities for children and elderly residents. You would like to apply. Write a letter to the manager of the community centre. In your letter: - Explain why you are interested in the position - Describe your relevant skills, experience and availability - Ask any questions you have about the role Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,
How to approach it
- 01Use 'Dear Sir or Madam' and close with 'Yours faithfully' — the standard formal pairing
- 02Open with a clear statement of purpose: which role, where you saw it advertised
- 03Cover all three bullet points in separate, well-developed paragraphs
- 04Use formal vocabulary: 'I am writing to apply', 'I would welcome the opportunity', 'I would be grateful'
- 05Provide concrete examples of experience (positions, durations, achievements) rather than vague claims
- 06Show genuine interest in the specific organisation — research-style references raise the response
Model answer
245 words in 7 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to apply for the part-time position at Riverside Community Centre, advertised in last Saturday's edition of the Bromwell Gazette. I was delighted to come across the advertisement, as I have long admired the centre's work and would welcome the opportunity to contribute to it.
The role appeals to me for several reasons. I have lived in the local area for over seven years and have benefited from many of the centre's events, including the summer reading programme and the lunch club for older residents. I am particularly keen to combine my interest in community wellbeing with practical work that brings together different generations.
In terms of relevant experience, I have spent the past three years volunteering with a Saturday children's drama group at St Luke's Church, where I currently coordinate a team of four assistants and plan weekly sessions. Prior to this, I supported a befriending scheme for socially isolated pensioners through Age Concern. I hold a current paediatric first aid certificate and an up-to-date enhanced DBS check.
I would be available on Saturdays and Sundays between 9am and 5pm, and could occasionally cover weekday evenings if required. I have one question regarding the role: would there be opportunities to take on additional training, particularly in safeguarding or activity coordination?
I have attached my CV and would be very grateful for the chance to discuss my application in person. Thank you for considering it.
Yours faithfully, Priya Ramanujan
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 31 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
21 more than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 36 at the longest
1 fewer than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 18.8 words and vary by 9.3 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 36. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 2 of the 13 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
1 in total, spread across 1 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
prior to
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 88 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 82 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 4 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Address all three bullet points convincingly
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear paragraphing matched to bullet points with logical flow
Lexical Resource
Formal application register with precise vocabulary
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Accurate use of formal structures and conditionals
You have read one model answer. Now get one marked.
Paste your own attempt at this question and get a band for each criterion, with the exact sentences costing you marks.
Score my answer