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.
121 to 129 of 129
All IELTS informal letter samples
- Letter to friend advising against buying a houseA friend is considering buying a house nearby, but you have decided to leave the area due to a rise in crime.informal · advice
- Letter to friends about moving to their cityYour friends recently moved to a new city. You will also be moving to the same city.informal · giving information
- Letter to friends asking for housing assistanceYou will move to a new city for work. You know some people who live there.informal · request
- Letter to friends confirming our upcoming holiday arrangementsYou have arranged a plan for travel and accommodation for your friends.informal · making arrangements
- Letter to friends thanking them for holiday photosLast month you had a holiday overseas where you stayed with some friends. They have just sent you some photos of your holiday.informal · thanks
- Letter to my sibling sharing life updatesYour sibling has sent you a letter asking for an update on your life.informal · giving information
- Letter to parents inviting them to graduationYou will be graduating from university and would like to invite your family to the ceremony.informal · invitation
- Letter to uncle suggesting a destination for reunionYou have an extended family and every year you all get together to go on a family trip for a week. Your uncle is in charge of the plans this year and you would like to suggest a place you have visited lately.informal · advice
- Moving to a new city and inviting a friendYou have recently gone to live in a new city. You want to let an English-speaking friend who lives in another country know about it.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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