General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · advice

Advice for a friend's sister regarding studying abroad

The younger sister of one of your friends is thinking about spending a year studying abroad as part of her university course. You did this recently, and she has asked you about your experience.

Write a letter to your friend's sister. In your letter:

tell her where you studied during your year abroad
describe what you learnt about the country you studied in
explain why your year abroad was helpful for your studies

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Chloe,

It was lovely to hear from you. I was thrilled to learn you are considering spending a year abroad; it is honestly one of the best decisions you could make during your university career.

I spent my year abroad in Lyon, France. It is a stunning city, and being immersed in the local culture was an eye-opening experience. I learnt so much about the French lifestyle, particularly their emphasis on work-life balance and the importance of taking time to enjoy long, leisurely meals with friends. I also gained a much deeper appreciation for regional history and the nuances of the language, which go far beyond what you can learn in a textbook.

My time there was immensely helpful for my degree. Navigating daily life in a foreign language significantly boosted my confidence and communication skills, which has proved invaluable in my current seminars. Furthermore, studying within a different academic system broadened my perspective on my subject, allowing me to approach my final-year projects with a more critical and global mindset.

You will have an incredible time if you go ahead with it. Let me know if you need any more tips!

Best wishes,

Sarah

196 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response addresses all three bullet points with specific, personal details while maintaining a natural, consistent tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is writing a generic letter that fails to provide specific personal examples or uses overly formal language that feels unnatural for a letter to a friend's sister.

Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.
Contractions, phrasal verbs and a warm opening line are expected; a stiff formal tone loses marks here.
Still cover every bullet in its own paragraph; friendly does not mean unstructured.

Useful phrases from the letter

immersed: Deeply involved or focused in a particular activity
eye-opening: An experience that reveals something surprising or new
leisurely: Done in a relaxed and unhurried manner
nuances: Subtle differences in meaning, expression, or sound
invaluable: Extremely useful or possessing a very high value
broadened: Increased the range or scope of something

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.

Practise IELTS General writing

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Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?

Informal. Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.

How long 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.