General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · other

Letter to a friend regarding business partnership offer

One of your friends has asked you to be a partner in his/her new business.

Write a letter to reply to your friend's offer. In your letter:

give your opinion of your friend's business idea
tell him/her whether or not you have decided to accept the offer
and explain your reasons for this decision

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sarah,

It was such a lovely surprise to hear from you yesterday. Thank you so much for reaching out and inviting me to become a partner in your new boutique bakery venture; I was truly touched that you thought of me.

Your concept for an artisanal sourdough bakery in the city centre is absolutely brilliant. Given how passionate you are about traditional baking techniques and the current lack of high-quality independent shops in that area, I have no doubt that it will be a resounding success.

However, after giving it a great deal of thought, I must respectfully decline your offer. It is a fantastic opportunity, but I simply cannot commit the time or capital required at this stage of my life.

My current role at the marketing firm has recently become quite demanding, and I have just started an intensive evening course in data analytics. Taking on a new business would stretch me far too thin, and I wouldn't want to hold you back by not being able to give it my full energy. I would, however, love to help you with the branding and social media launch as a consultant once you get started.

Best wishes,

James

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

Why this scores well

The response achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with a consistent, natural tone and providing specific, logical justifications for the decision. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a clear, personal reason for refusing the offer, instead providing vague excuses or neglecting the tone requirements.

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

resounding success: an outcome that is very definitely a success
stretch me far too thin: taking on too many tasks to handle well
artisanal: made in a traditional way by skilled craftspeople
venture: a new business project that involves some risk
respectfully decline: to say no in a polite and formal way
consultant: a professional who provides expert advice for pay

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.