1. Skills
  2. Writing
  3. C1 writing
  4. A cover letter

A cover letter

A teenage girl looks at job advertisements in a newspaper

Look at the cover letter and do the exercises to improve your writing skills. 

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Reading

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to express interest in the voluntary work placement at your animal sanctuary which I saw advertised on your website.

I am eighteen years old and in my final year at secondary school, due to sit my A levels next summer. I am planning on taking a degree in veterinary science at university and have received two conditional offers. As you will see from my CV, I have always shown an interest in working with animals and have relevant experience from voluntary work which I carried out at a local dogs' home. In this position I had sole responsibility for taking care of some dogs' daily needs, such as feeding, cleaning and exercise. In addition to this, I regularly spend time on my uncle's farm throughout the year and usually help him take care of the animals. This hands-on experience has reinforced my decision to seek a career working with animals. Both the dogs' home and my uncle would be willing to provide references.

I am hard-working, punctual and willing to help out with any kind of job at the sanctuary. My decision to undertake a degree in veterinary science confirms my interest in and commitment to the field. I am certain that experience working at your animal sanctuary will provide an invaluable insight into working with animals and a unique opportunity to acquire a range of skills and expertise.

I hope I have shown that I am an ideal candidate for this position and please find attached my CV.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Emily Jones

Top Tips for writing

  1. Begin and end the letter appropriately.

    Beginning: Dear Sir or Madam with no name – Closing: Yours faithfully
    Beginning: Dear Mr / Mrs / Ms + surname – Closing: Yours sincerely

  2. Give a clear reason for writing.

    I am writing with regard to … / to enquire about … / to apply for … / to express interest in ...

  3. Use linking words to join similar ideas into paragraphs.

    In addition to this, ... 

  4. Include a summary comment near the end of your letter.

    I hope you will find this information useful.
    I would be very grateful for your assistance in this matter.

  5. Close your letter with a set phrase.

    I look forward to hearing from you.

Worksheets and downloads

A cover letter - exercises776.26 KB
A cover letter - answers261.29 KB
A cover letter - letter523.41 KB
A cover letter - writing practice384.55 KB
Discussion

Do students at your school do work experience? What company or organisation would you like to do work experience in? What do you think are the main advantages of work experience?

Language level
C1 Advanced
Topics
applying for a job
volunteering
writing
Average: 4.6 (12 votes)
Personal online tutoring
EnglishScore Tutors is the British Council’s one-to-one tutoring platform for 13- to 17-year-olds.
Find out more

Comments

Submitted by lucalvesilva on Thu, 08/11/2022 - 10:15

It's pretty common in Brazil that students start to work throughout the high school for financial needs. The main advantages of a work experience when you're younger is that you can develop important soft skills, like dealing with conflicts, flexibility. During the high school I didn't have the necessity to start working, so I focused on the university process.

Submitted by Rhylan on Thu, 04/21/2022 - 18:38

Some of my classmates have a work experience. For example two of them are working in store which is them family bussines. They work only in weekends. I would like to work in hospital, because I love to help people. But this is one of the reasons. Second reason is that I want to study medicine in university. This is my dream. I think this kind of work experience would be help me with my career.

Submitted by Ali974 on Tue, 09/28/2021 - 13:00

My expectations on my future work placement are : to acquire skills, to have good working conditions and to work in a friendly team. But organizations don't want inexperienced staff. I would like to work abroad to improve my language skills. A young interm can bring new ideas and new ways of working to a company.

Submitted by Ali974 on Tue, 09/28/2021 - 12:04

This course by the British Council was interesting because I have learnt new words. At my school, first students have no experience but after an internship of 1 month they know more about working. The company I would like to work in is Treyarch because I love video games. I think the main advantage of work experience is to get skills and expertise.

Submitted by TheNewGuy on Mon, 07/26/2021 - 10:13

My school doesn’t really make anyone do work experience except at the end of the 1st year of high school. I think it’s because minors don’t really do work experience in Korea. My work experience was in a chamber of commerce, but I would have preferred to go to a software development company. I think that if I had gotten the work experience I wanted, I would be able to decide if that job was for me or not.

Submitted by Msharymnn on Fri, 01/01/2021 - 21:51

My school doesn’t give work exprince that’s why students can’t do the work exprince or Ithink they’d love to and I think everyone would sign up if we’d have I’d like to work for flight company I wany to be a piolt the main adventges of work expriences is the talent and if you want to you will sure get it
Profile picture for user Giovannichoi

Submitted by Giovannichoi on Tue, 07/07/2020 - 03:19

Um.. we don't go work experience, except some career educations. In our school, the parents of this school's students make ppt and do presentation it to us. It's like this: My mother makes ppt in home- She comes to my school- She talk about her career (soprano). This is the way which we learn about the jobs. But I think the work experience like volunteer work is very important to us and needed by us, because a thousand hearings are not worth one seeing and experience!!!!!
Profile picture for user Jocher

Submitted by Jocher on Tue, 02/25/2020 - 15:42

I do not have work experience, but I thought about it, and sow the day I think where to get settled. Work experience helps us to better understand our profession and having experience is easier to find work.

Submitted by TimaLezgin on Tue, 02/25/2020 - 15:40

My classmate named Islam has a good experience, and having such a friend you can find out any question about profession. It is very easy for him to find a job, I am glad that I have such a friend.
English courses near you