General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · invitation

Letter to a neighbor regarding an upcoming housewarming party

You have just moved into a new home and are planning to hold a party. You are worried that the noise may disturb your neighbor.

Write a letter to your neighbor. In your letter:

introduce yourself
describe your plans for the party
invite your neighbor to come

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I hope you are settling into your week well. I have recently moved into number 42, just next door, and wanted to introduce myself properly. My name is Julian, and I am delighted to be living in such a pleasant neighbourhood.

To celebrate the move, I am planning a small housewarming gathering this coming Saturday evening. I expect around ten guests, and we will be hosting the event in my garden from 7:00 pm until approximately 10:30 pm. I am very conscious that sound travels easily between our properties, so I have instructed my friends to keep the music at a low volume and to move indoors once the evening progresses to ensure there is no disturbance.

It would be a pleasure if you could join us for a drink and some light snacks. It would be a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know my neighbours better, and your presence would certainly make the evening more special. Please do not feel any pressure if you have other plans, but do let me know if you might be able to drop by for a while.

Best wishes,

Julian Thorne

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a consistent, polite semi-formal tone and natural, cohesive language. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific details about the noise mitigation, instead using generic or repetitive language that lacks the necessary social nuance.

Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

Useful phrases from the letter

settling into: becoming comfortable in a new place or situation
housewarming: a party celebrating moving into a new home
conscious: aware of and concerned about a particular thing
disturbance: an interruption of peace or a quiet environment
drop by: to pay a short, informal visit to someone
pleasant: giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment

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?

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

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.