General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · invitation

Letter to a friend inviting them on vacation

You Are Planning to Take a Vacation.

Write a Letter to A Friend. In your letter:

describe the Vacation Spot You Have Chosen
explain how You Plan to Spend Your Time There
invite Your Friend to Join You on Your Vacation

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sarah,

I hope everything is going well with you. I have finally booked some time off work next month and have decided to escape to the Isle of Skye for a week-long getaway. It is absolutely breathtaking there, with dramatic, mist-covered mountains and rugged coastlines that look like something straight out of a fantasy novel.

My plan is to keep things fairly low-key. I am hoping to spend most of my days hiking the Quiraing trail and photographing the dramatic landscapes. In the evenings, I intend to find a cosy local pub to enjoy some fresh seafood and perhaps listen to some live traditional folk music by the fire.

It would be wonderful if you could join me! I know how much you enjoy photography, and the scenery there is truly unparalleled. It would be a great chance for us to catch up properly away from the daily grind. Do let me know if you are free between the 12th and 19th of next month, as I would love to share this adventure with you.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes,

Jamie

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

Why this scores well

This response achieves Band 8 by fully addressing all three bullet points with natural, cohesive language and an appropriate informal tone. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link the description of the location to the proposed activities, resulting in a disjointed 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.

Useful phrases from the letter

breathtaking: extremely beautiful or impressive to look at
low-key: not elaborate, showy, or intense; quiet and relaxed
rugged: having an uneven, broken, or rocky surface
unparalleled: having no equal; better than anything else
daily grind: the exhausting and repetitive nature of work
getaway: a short holiday or a place for one

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.