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General Training Task 1 — farewell letter: Saying goodbye to a departing manager. This page gives the exam question and a band 9 model answer, with the tone, opening and closing lines that suit the letter. Aim for at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.
Your office manager has recently announced that they will be leaving the company. Write a letter to your manager.
In your letter:
• Express your feelings about their decision to leave
• Explain why you will be sorry to see them go
• Ask about their future plans
| Letter type | Farewell |
| Tone | Semi-Formal |
| Opening | Dear Mr. / Ms. [Surname], |
| Closing | Kind regards, / Yours sincerely, |
Dear Mr. Smith,
I am writing with genuinely mixed feelings following your announcement that you will be leaving the company at the end of next month. While I completely respect your decision and understand that career progression sometimes requires a change of environment, I cannot pretend that the news has not been difficult for the team to absorb.
I will be particularly sorry to see you go because your leadership has had such a positive impact on both my professional development and the wider department. You have consistently made time to offer guidance, advocated for the team during challenging periods, and created a working culture in which people feel genuinely supported and motivated to perform at their best.
Before your final day, I would be interested to know more about your plans for the future. Are you joining another organisation, or perhaps taking some well-deserved time away? Whatever path you choose, I wish you every success and hope we can stay in touch.
Kind regards,
Strategy
Semi-formal tone throughout. Three paragraphs = one per bullet. Open with "I write with mixed emotions" to signal both
sadness and respect.
Common trap
Do not use informal language ("gutted you're leaving") — this is a professional relationship. Keep tone warm but
professional.
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