IELTS Formal Letter: Letter to new employer regarding delayed start date

The task

You are due to start a new job next week but you will not be able to because you have some problems.

Write a letter to your new employer. In your letter:

→explain your situation
→describe your problems
→tell him/her when you think you can start

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8185 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

Please accept my sincere apologies for the late notice regarding my scheduled commencement date at your firm, which was set for next Monday. Unfortunately, unforeseen personal circumstances have arisen that will prevent me from joining the team as originally planned.

Over the weekend, I experienced a severe flare-up of a chronic back condition, which has rendered me temporarily immobile. My physician has strictly advised complete bed rest and physiotherapy for the next ten days to ensure a full recovery. Consequently, I am unable to commute or perform the physical requirements of the role until my health stabilises.

I have been looking forward to this opportunity immensely and am keen to begin my tenure. Provided my recovery progresses as expected, I am confident that I will be fit to report for duty on Monday, 25th November. I have already reviewed the introductory training materials you provided to ensure I remain up to date.

I regret any disruption this delay may cause to your current projects and appreciate your understanding regarding this health matter. I look forward to your confirmation.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Pendelton

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Write a letter, get a band free →

Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with a professional, consistent tone and sophisticated vocabulary. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific, plausible reason for the delay, instead providing overly vague excuses that lack a professional register.

→Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
→If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
→No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

commencement
The official starting time of an event.
unforeseen
Events that were not expected or predicted.
rendered
Caused someone or something to be in a state.
tenure
The period of time holding a specific job.
disruption
A disturbance that interrupts an event or process.
stabilises
Becomes unlikely to change or fail suddenly.

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

How many words should an IELTS General Training letter be?+

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

What does the examiner look for?+

Keep practising

More apology letters

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