Letter of Advice to a Friend Facing an Ethical Dilemma at Work
An IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training letter prompt. Read the scenario carefully, then respond with the required tone and three bullet points in a timed session.
20 min
2
150+ words
Question Prompt
Review the prompt carefully before you open the timed writing workspace.
A close friend of yours recently contacted you and confessed that they are caught in a serious ethical dilemma at work. Your friend discovered that their manager has been deliberately manipulating figures in the company's financial reports, but fears that whistleblowing could destroy their career, while remaining silent is causing them considerable guilt. Your friend is seeking your honest advice on what they should do. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: - express understanding and empathy for their situation while acknowledging the seriousness of the issue - analyse the potential consequences of both whistleblowing and remaining silent, and also suggest a third alternative - explain which course of action you ultimately recommend and give your honest reasons
How to Approach This Question
A quick, practical checklist for this specific task type.
- 1
Use an informal opener (Hi, Hey) and friendly closer (Take care, Cheers); contractions are welcome.
- 2
Cover all three bullet points in a natural conversational flow rather than strict paragraphs.
- 3
Add a personal detail or question to keep the letter warm and relational.
- 4
Aim for 160–180 words in 20 minutes; keep vocabulary everyday but accurate.
Key Topic Vocabulary
Useful terms and concepts to weave into your answer for this prompt.
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