Structure and tone
How to write an IELTS informal letter
- →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.
The outline every sample here follows
- 1.Salutation: Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.
- 2.Opening: State the purpose of the letter in the first one or two sentences.
- 3.Body: One paragraph per bullet point, in the order given, each with a specific detail (a date, a name, a reason).
- 4.Closing line: Close with the action you want: I would appreciate a reply by Friday, or Let me know when you are free.
- 5.Sign-off: A sign-off that matches the salutation, then your name.
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All IELTS informal letter samples
- Advice for a friend's sister regarding studying abroadThe 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.informal · advice
- Advising a friend on choosing employment over collegeYou recently received a letter from a friend asking for advice about whether to go to college or to try to get a job. You think he /she should get a job.informal · advice
- An informal letter inviting a friend to birthdayYou are having a birthday party next week.informal · invitation
- Apology letter to cousin for missing birthday partyLast Weekend, Your Cousin Celebrated Her 50th Birthday, but You Couldn't Attend and Forgot to Cancel.informal · apology
- Congratulating a close friend on their book publicationYour friend has had his/her first book published a few days ago. He/she has recently sent you a copy of that book.informal · thanks
- Informal letter to a friend about holidayYou recently went on a fantastic holiday and want to tell your friend about it.informal · giving information
- Inviting a friend to the local food festivalThere is a public event coming up in your town.informal · invitation
- Letter recommending a local product to a friendOne of your friends in a foreign country is starting an import-export business, and he has asked you to recommend a product from your country to him.informal · advice
- Letter to a classmate regarding an unreturned textbookYou borrowed an important textbook from a classmate last term. You now realize your classmate has returned home overseas and you still have the book.informal · apology
- Letter to a close friend about moving abroadYou have decided to move to another country for work.informal · giving information
- Letter to a close friend apologizing for absenceYou recently missed a close friend's wedding because of a sudden emergency.informal · apology
- Letter to a close friend apologizing for missing birthdayOne of your friends recently had a birthday celebration, but you missed it and you forgot to tell your friend that you couldn't attend.informal · apology
- Letter to a close friend congratulating a newbornA friend had a newborn baby, and you have picked up a present for the baby and want to visit to give it to him/her.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a close friend inviting them to HawaiiYou have won a holiday to Hawaii with one extra ticket.informal · invitation
- Letter to a college friend proposing a reunionIt is ten years since you left college. You'd like to organise an event to celebrate this anniversary with all your friends and classmates from college.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a cousin regarding their upcoming arrivalA family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the morning, but you won't be home until the evening.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a Facebook friend about national newsYou have a Facebook friend living in another country and she/he is curious to learn about a major news item in your country.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about a birthday giftYou have recently purchased a gift item for one of your friends.informal · other
- Letter to a friend about a lost walletYou have just spent a week with a friend on holiday. When you get home, you realize you have left your wallet there.informal · request
- Letter to a friend about a memorable tripYou recently visited a place that had a strong impact on you.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about a museum visitYou have recently visited a museum. Now write a letter to your friend about the museum you have visited.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about airport pickup arrangementsYou have invited a friend to come to your house next holiday. He/she has asked you how to get to your house from the airport. However, you are going to the airport to receive him/her.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a friend about an item mistakenly takenYou stayed with your friend and by mistake carried home one of his objects.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend about career changeYou have decided to leave your current job and look for a new one.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about my new jobYou have recently started work in a new company.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about overseas job offerYou have been offered a job overseas that you applied for.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about starting a businessYou Want to Start Your Own Business.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about staying at my homeYour friend will be staying at your home, but you can't be there.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend about their upcoming visitA friend has written a letter to you informing you about his or her plan to visit your country/city.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend about visiting their university townYou are going to visit the town where your friend went to university.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend advising on an environmental science courseYour friend is considering taking the same course as you at university. He/she has asked for your advice on studying this subject.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend advising on university coursesA friend of yours is thinking about applying for the same course that you did at university. He/She has asked for your advice about studying this subject.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend advising on university studiesYou have a friend who is about to enter university, and he wants you to advise him on which subject to specialize in history, in which he is very interested, or computer science, which offers better job prospects.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend apologising for accidental damageYou recently stayed with your friend to look after the house while he/she is away. You accidentally damaged something in his/her house.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend apologising for missing meetingLast Month, You Travelled to Another City. You Told a Friend Who Lives in The City that You Would Meet Them, but You Did Not.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend apologizing for a misunderstandingYou recently had a serious misunderstanding with a friend.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend apologizing for missing birthdayAn English-speaking friend invited you to their birthday party, but unfortunately, you were unable to attend due to a sudden illness.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend apologizing for missing partyA friend of yours invited you to a home party he/she arranged. However, you have just missed this party. Now you want to apologise for not attending it.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend asking for computer helpYou recently bought a new computer but are having some trouble setting it up.informal · request
- Letter to a friend asking for help with eventYou are preparing an event in the countryside.informal · request
- Letter to a friend asking for language learning adviceYou are currently trying to improve your knowledge of a language which is not your first language. You have a friend who speaks this language fluently. You have decided to write to this friend.informal · request
- Letter to a friend cancelling movie plansYour friend had made a plan for you to see a movie together but you can now not join him. You've found another friend who can go instead of you.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend cancelling our dinner plansYou had planned to meet a friend for dinner, but now you cannot go.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend cancelling theatre plansYour friend bought tickets to the theatre for both of you.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend cancelling theatre plans (making arrangements)You and your friend have booked tickets to go to the theatre. You are now unable to go but have found another friend to accompany him/her instead.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a friend declining a birthday invitationYour friend is celebrating her birthday soon and has invited you to a party. But you are unable to come because you are going to attend an important meeting that day.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend declining an anniversary invitationYour friend recently invited you to a marriage anniversary party that they are holding next Saturday. However, you can not attend this party.informal · apology
- Letter to a friend declining babysitting requestA friend has asked you to babysit on Saturday and wants to know how much you charge per hour for this. Unfortunately, you already committed this weekend and cannot help. However, you are free the following weekend.informal · other
- Letter to a friend giving advice on visiting parentsYour friend has written a letter to you asking for advice regarding a visit that his/her parents will be making to your area in the near future.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend giving driving adviceYour friend is thinking about learning to drive and would like some advice.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend helping with college projectYour English-speaking friend has asked for your help with a college project he/she is doing about celebrating New Year in different countries.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend inviting them hikingYou are planning a challenging hiking trip and want a friend to join you.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend inviting them on holidayYou are planning a holiday in another country and would like a friend to accompany you.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend inviting them on vacationYou Are Planning to Take a Vacation.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend inviting them to a partyYou are going to organise a family party next week at your home. You want to invite a friend to this party.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend inviting them to dinnerYou made a friend when you visited another city a few months ago. This friend has come to your city for some work and will stay for another week. You want to invite this friend to your home for dinner.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend inviting them to housewarmingYou have recently moved into a new house and would like to invite an English-speaking friend to your housewarming party.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend offering a concert ticketYou bought a music concert ticket. However, you are unable to go. So you want to offer the ticket to your friend.informal · other
- Letter to a friend offering a spare roomYou have a spare room in your apartment and want to offer it to a friend.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend offering a television for saleYou want to sell your television. You think a friend of yours might like to buy it from you.informal · other
Frequently asked questions
When do I write a informal letter?+
Informal letters go to a friend or relative you address by first name. Write to a friend or relative by first name and close with Best wishes, Love or See you soon.
How should I structure an IELTS informal letter?+
Open with the purpose in one sentence, then one paragraph per bullet point in the order given. Close with the action you want: I would appreciate a reply by Friday, or Let me know when you are free.
How many words and how long for the letter?+
At least 150 words in about 20 minutes; 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Leave 40 minutes for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.
How is the letter scored?+
Scored on task achievement (purpose clear, all bullets covered, tone consistent), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Task 1 is worth half of Task 2.
Keep going
Other IELTS letter types
- Formal letters · 266
- Semi-Formal letters · 88
- Complaint letters · 118
- Request letters · 103
- Information letters · 67
- Application letters · 42
- Apology letters · 31
- Advice letters · 28
- Arrangement letters · 25
- Invitation letters · 19
- Thank-You letters · 15
- Landlord letters · 20
- All IELTS letter samples
- IELTS General Training writing practice
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