Declining a job offer from a new manager

The task

You recently met a manager from a new company that has just opened in your town. After the meeting, he wrote to you to offer you a job in this new company. However, you want to stay in your present job.

Write a letter to the manager. In your letter:

→thank him for the offer
→explain why you want to stay in the present job
→recommend a friend for the job at the new company

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8195 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

Thank you very much for your kind offer to join the team at your new company. It was a pleasure meeting you last week, and I was quite impressed by your vision for the business and the innovative projects you have planned.

After giving the matter careful consideration, I have decided to remain in my current position. I have been with my present firm for five years, and I am currently leading a long-term project that is nearing completion. I feel a strong professional obligation to see this assignment through to the end, and I believe that leaving at this critical juncture would be unfair to my team and my employer.

However, I would like to recommend a former colleague, Sarah Jenkins, for the role. She is an exceptionally talented project coordinator who is currently seeking a new challenge. Given her extensive background in the industry, I am confident she would be a valuable asset to your organisation. I have taken the liberty of attaching her contact details to this email.

Thank you once again for your generous offer and for the time you spent speaking with me.

Yours sincerely,

James Sterling

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.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by maintaining a consistent semi-formal tone and addressing all three bullet points with natural, cohesive explanations. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific reason for staying in the current job or providing a vague recommendation that lacks professional detail.

→Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
→Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
→State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

vision
a clear idea of how something should develop
careful consideration
thinking about something deeply and for a while
critical juncture
a very important point in a process
professional obligation
a duty to do something at work
exceptionally talented
having a very high level of skill
valuable asset
someone who is very useful to a company

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

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 other letters

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