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.
61 to 120 of 129
All IELTS informal letter samples
- Letter to a friend offering camping holiday adviceA friend of yours is thinking of going on a camping holiday for the first time this summer. He/She has asked for your advice.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend offering furniture for saleYou want to sell some of your furniture. You think a friend of yours might like to buy it from you.informal · other
- Letter to a friend offering moving assistanceYour friend is about to move into a new house.informal · other
- Letter to a friend offering relocation adviceA friend from another country is moving to your city for work. He / she has asked you for advice about living in your city.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend offering to sell carYou have a friend who has always liked the car you currently drive. Now you have decided to sell the car. You think your friend might be interested in buying it.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend planning a visit abroadA friend you met last year has invited you to visit them in their country. You have never been there before and need some information before you leave.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend planning their upcoming visitA friend from another country is planning to visit your city.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend proposing a sports adventureYou are going to visit a friend who loves sports.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a friend recommending a great movieYou recently watched a great movie and think your friend would like it.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend recommending a holiday destinationA friend of yours is going on holiday soon and has asked you to recommend a destination.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend recommending a job opportunityA friend you made while you were studying abroad has written to ask you for help in finding a job in your country. You have heard about a job in a local company that might be suitable for him/her.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend recommending a job vacancyYou Are Leaving Your Job and Would Like to Invite Your Friend to Replace You.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend recommending a travel destinationOne of your friends plans to go sightseeing in your country. You used to live in a place that you think she might enjoy visiting.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend recommending an elementary schoolA friend wants to get some information about an elementary school where one of your cousins studies.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend recommending city sightsAn English-speaking friend is going to visit your city for the first time for a weekend trip and asked for some advice on what to see and eat.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend regarding a forgotten coatYou have just spent a weekend at a friend's house. When you returned home, you discovered you had left a coat containing some belongings in his house.informal · request
- Letter to a friend regarding a job offerYour friend has a travel company and would like you to come and work with him.informal · other
- Letter to a friend regarding a lost watchYou stayed at a friend's house last weekend and lost your watch.informal · request
- Letter to a friend regarding business partnership offerOne of your friends has asked you to be a partner in his/her new business.informal · other
- Letter to a friend regarding changing holiday plansYou have decided to go on holiday with your friend. However, you must change your plans.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a friend regarding house sitting arrangementsYou are going away to travel for the summer. A friend will be looking after your house while you are away.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a friend regarding my new homeYou have recently moved to a different house, and you want to give the news to an English-speaking friend who lives in another country.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend regarding severe weather damageYou have recently heard that a friend of yours has had some problems as a result of some unusual weather.informal · other
- Letter to a friend regarding their upcoming holidayAn English-speaking friend wants to spend a two-week holiday in your region and has written asking for information and advice.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend regarding their upcoming visitA friend has written a letter informing you about his or her plan to visit your country/city.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend regarding upcoming visitA friend you met last year has invited you to visit him/her in his/her country. You have never been there before and need some information before you leave.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend reminiscing about our tripRecently you visited a foreign country with a friend.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend requesting a borrowed bookA year ago, you lent your favourite book to a friend who you thought would enjoy it. Unfortunately, your friend has forgotten to return it. The book has sentimental value to you as it had been presented by your grandmother.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a document translationYou have received an important document in a foreign language and you need it translated quickly. One of your friends knows this language.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a holiday photographYou recently went on a trip with a friend and you both took some photographs.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a lost bookYou left your book at a friend's home and you want him to send it back.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting a lost fileYou stayed at your friend's house when you participated in a business seminar in Australia. You left a file with important documents in the room you stayed in.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting help finding workYou are going to another country to study. You would like to do a part-time job while you are studying, so you want to ask a friend who lives there for some help.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting help for eventYou are preparing an outdoor event.informal · request
- Letter to a friend requesting party assistanceYou are organizing a surprise anniversary party for your parents.informal · request
- Letter to a friend rescheduling a Canadian visitYou arranged to visit a friend in Canada but an important event at home now means that you must change the dates of the visit.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a friend rescheduling an Australian visitYou arranged to visit a friend in Australia, but an important event at home now means that you must change the dates of the visit.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a friend seeking career change adviceYou are considering a career change and want advice from a friend.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend sharing exciting competition newsYour photograph recently won a photography competition and will be shown in an exhibition.informal · invitation
- Letter to a friend sharing recent life updatesYou have just graduated from university and started your first full-time job.informal · giving information
- Letter to a friend struggling at new schoolA good friend has just changed schools and is having difficulty fitting in and needs your advice.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend suggesting birthday celebration ideasYour friend is about to celebrate a landmark birthday and would welcome suggestions as to how it should be celebrated.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend suggesting travel destinationsAn English-speaking friend is working in your hometown. He is planning to visit another town in your home country.informal · advice
- Letter to a friend thanking them for a giftYou recently received a lovely gift from a friend.informal · thanks
- Letter to a friend thanking them for dinnerOne of your friends invited you for a meal with his/her family in their home. You enjoyed the meal and had been happy to be introduced to his/her family.informal · thanks
- Letter to a friend thanking them for guidebookYou recently went on holiday, and your friend lent you a travel guidebook.informal · thanks
- Letter to a friend thanking them for hospitalityYou went to another city for a training course and stayed at a friend's house for a week. They have been great hosts.informal · thanks
- Letter to a friend visiting my foreign cityYou are living in a city in a foreign country, and a friend from your home country is coming to the same city soon for several days.informal · request
- Letter to a high school friend about a partyYour high school friend who has moved to another country will be visiting your country for a month. You have arranged a party for him/her.informal · invitation
- Letter to a holiday friend inviting them to stayLast year you met someone on holiday and became friends. He/she has informed you that he/she will be travelling near your hometown on business in a few months' time.informal · invitation
- Letter to a pen pal about airport arrivalOne of your pen pals will shortly be visiting your city. For some reasons, you can not manage to meet him at the airport on time.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to a relative asking for accommodationYou are planning a short visit to a city where one of your relatives lives.informal · request
- Letter to a team member recovering from injuryYou play a team sport with some friends. Last week a member of the team had an accident and wasn't able to play with you at the weekend. You decide to write to him in the hospital, telling him about the match.informal · giving information
- Letter to a teammate explaining temporary absenceYou are a football player, but you have to leave the team for a while,informal · giving information
- Letter to an Australian friend about birthday visitAn Australian friend is coming to visit you, and it will be his/her birthday during the visit.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to an old friend after a visitYou have recently been to stay with an old friend for a few days. You hadn't seen each other for a long time.informal · thanks
- Letter to an old friend regarding holiday plansYou are planning a holiday abroad and will be visiting a town where an old friend lives. You haven't spoken to this friend in a few years.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to an old friend sharing career newsYou haven't spoken to an English-speaking friend who lives abroad for a long time. You have recently started a new job.informal · giving information
- Letter to best friend proposing shared living arrangementsYour best friend is moving back to your city after being overseas for five years.informal · invitation
- Letter to colleague recommending my current rental apartmentYou are moving out of your accommodation. Do you think the place is suitable for your English-speaking colleague who is arriving next month?informal · giving information
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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