General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · making arrangements

Letter to a friend proposing a sports adventure

You are going to visit a friend who loves sports.

Write a letter about an outdoor sport that you would like to try for the first time. In your letter:

in your letter, you should tell:
what it is
when and where would you play it
who you would play it with

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sarah,

I am so excited about my upcoming visit to stay with you next month! Since you are such a massive sports enthusiast, I have been looking into some outdoor activities we could try together, and I have stumbled upon something I am dying to experience for the first time: paragliding.

I have always been fascinated by the idea of soaring through the air, and it seems like the perfect challenge for us. It is supposed to be an incredible way to take in the landscape from a completely different perspective, which I know you would love.

I was thinking we could head out to the coastal cliffs near your home on the second Saturday of my trip. The weather reports for that area usually show consistent wind conditions in the afternoon, which should be ideal for a beginner’s tandem flight.

Of course, I would love for you to join me! It would be brilliant to share that adrenaline rush with my best friend. If you are feeling brave enough, we could even book back-to-back slots so we can shout encouragement to each other as we launch. Let me know what you think!

Can’t wait to see you soon.

Best wishes,

Jamie

203 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 that maintains a consistent informal tone throughout. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to provide specific details, such as the location or timing, resulting in a generic letter that lacks engagement.

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

massive: extremely large or very enthusiastic about something
stumbled upon: found something accidentally or by chance
soaring: flying or rising high in the air
tandem flight: a flight where two people fly together
adrenaline rush: a sudden feeling of excitement and energy
brilliant: excellent, very good, or highly enjoyable

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.