Cambridge IELTS 18 General Writing Practice Test 2

IELTS Cambridge Book 18 General Training Writing Practice Test 2 with Sample Answers and Free PDF Download.

IELTS 18 General Training Writing Practice Test 2, Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are soon going to spend three months doing work experience in an organization.

Write a letter to the manager of the organization where you are going to do work experience. In your letter:

• Thank the manager for the opportunity to do work experience.
• Explain what you hope to learn from the work experience.
• Ask some questions about the work experience you are going to do.

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Sample Answer:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am excited to be starting work experience at the RRN Broadcasting Corporation on 10 June, and I would like to thank you very much for this opportunity. I am grateful to have the chance to gain some insight into the industry I wish to work in one day.

As I mentioned in my interview, I am especially interested in community television and would love to build on my skills in sound engineering. Besides this, I am hoping to develop my soft skills in areas such as teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication.

I was wondering if it has been decided which team I will be working with and whether I will have a mentor assigned to me. I would like to prepare ahead of time, if possible, by doing some research.

I also wanted to clarify whether I will be at the studio in Newtown or the headquarters in the city centre.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
[Your Name]

Examiner’s Comments:

This is a strong response to the task; it addresses all three bullet points and uses a suitable tone to communicate with the manager of the organization. The response is presented in the correct letter format, with an appropriate ending, and there is clear progression throughout the letter.

The range of vocabulary is wide and precise [gain some insight into | develop my soft skills | mentor assigned], without errors. The writing contains a wide range of structures, including conditionals [if] and passives [it has been decided], with accurate multi-clause sentences.

This is a good example of a higher-level response.

IELTS 18 General Training Writing Practice Test 2, Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

When we meet someone for the first time, we generally decide very quickly what kind of person we think they are and if we like them or not. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer:

Some people say that we form an opinion about a person within thirty seconds of meeting them. A person’s clothing, facial expression, and even the way they shake hands can have a profound effect on our judgment. But is this natural human tendency good or bad?

There is something unfair about our inclination to judge people too quickly. Many people have had unfortunate life experiences that can affect their confidence when meeting new people. Shyness may make them appear aloof and cold, but this initially icy persona melts away when we allow them a bit of time to warm up. Others do not have the means to dress in a way that leaves an impression.

Inevitably, if we write people off too quickly, we could miss out on potential friendships, business opportunities, and even romantic relationships.

There is another side to this that is also worth considering. We are all aware of the effect first impressions can have. There is even a saying: you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Awareness of this reality should motivate us to always treat people in a friendly, respectful manner. If we strive to make a good impression on the people we meet, it increases our overall happiness and sense of well-being.

On balance, there is no doubt that judging people too quickly can have negative consequences. But knowing the power of first impressions can keep us on our toes, motivating us to question how we come across to others. Aside from this, the ability to read people quickly could also prevent us from being easily taken in by somebody with ulterior motives.

Examiner’s Comments:

This response presents both sides of the argument and concludes that forming impressions early can be either positive or negative. The second paragraph presents the downsides of judging too rapidly, such as the impact of low confidence, being shy, or not having smart clothes. It also notes that people could miss out on friendships, opportunities, and romance if they judge too harshly.

The third paragraph is not entirely relevant. The question asks about the evaluation people make about the “kind of person” and whether “we like them,” but this paragraph mainly gives advice on how to behave when meeting new people. It should be more aligned with the question and present the advantages of forming early impressions.

There is a very wide range of vocabulary with some higher-level items [affect their confidence | aloof | icy persona | strive to make | come across]. Overall, the response includes a variety of accurate complex grammatical structures, with many long sentences containing multiple clauses.

Vocabulary and grammatical structures are very strong, accurate, and flexible throughout. To improve the response, the third paragraph could present more clearly the advantages of quick decisions about the people we meet.