General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · advice

Letter to a friend advising on university courses

Your friend is considering taking the same course as you at university. He/she has asked for your advice on studying this subject.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

describe in detail the course you took at the university
explain why you recommend the university
give some tips on how to apply

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sam,

It was great to hear from you! I’m so excited that you are considering enrolling in the Environmental Science program here at Brighton University. It is a fantastic choice, and I would love to share my experience with you.

The course is incredibly hands-on. We spend two days a week in the laboratory and one day conducting fieldwork in the local wetlands. The curriculum covers everything from climate modelling to sustainable urban planning. While the workload is demanding, particularly during the mid-term assessment period, the practical insights gained are invaluable for a future career in conservation.

I highly recommend this university because the faculty are industry leaders who genuinely care about student success. The campus facilities are state-of-the-art, and the library resources for our department are extensive. Furthermore, the university maintains strong partnerships with local NGOs, which makes securing internships quite straightforward.

Regarding the application, ensure your personal statement highlights your volunteer work rather than just academic grades. You should also check the course website for the specific entry requirements, as they often look for relevant extracurricular experience. If you need me to look over your draft, just send it over!

Best wishes,

Alex

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

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with specific, natural detail while maintaining a consistently friendly and encouraging tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide enough detail for the course description, often resulting in a letter that feels too generic or brief.

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

hands-on: involving active participation rather than just theory
curriculum: the subjects comprising a course of study
invaluable: extremely useful or having great worth
state-of-the-art: incorporating the newest ideas and features
straightforward: easy to do or understand; uncomplicated
extracurricular: activities pursued in addition to normal studies

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

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

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.