General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · thanks

Letter to a friend thanking them for guidebook

You recently went on holiday, and your friend lent you a travel guidebook.

Write a letter to a friend. In your letter:

tell your friend about the holiday
explain how the guidebook was helpful
say when and how you will return the guidebook

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 you are doing well! I have just returned from my trip to the Scottish Highlands, and I wanted to reach out and thank you again for lending me your travel guidebook. It truly made all the difference to my experience.

The holiday was absolutely spectacular. I spent most of my time hiking around Glencoe and exploring the small coastal villages. The weather was surprisingly mild, which allowed me to spend hours wandering through the rugged landscapes without getting soaked.

Your guidebook was incredibly helpful, especially the section on hidden hiking trails that don't appear on standard maps. I managed to find a secluded waterfall that was completely empty of other tourists, which was definitely the highlight of the trip. The restaurant recommendations were also spot on; I had the best seafood of my life in a tiny harbour cafe you highlighted.

I am planning to head into the city centre this Saturday, so I will drop the book off at your house around midday. If you are not home, I will simply slide it through your letterbox.

Best wishes,

James

184 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 a consistent, warm tone suitable for a friend. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to provide specific details about the holiday or the guidebook, leading to a generic response that lacks depth.

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

spectacular: very beautiful or impressive to look at
rugged: having an uneven, rocky, or wild surface
secluded: hidden away and quiet, away from people
spot on: completely accurate or exactly right
highlight: the best or most interesting part
harbour: a sheltered area of water for boats

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.