General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · thanks

Letter to an English teacher expressing gratitude

You have just arrived in an English-speaking country to study a course. Before you left your English teacher invited you to a dinner.

Write a letter to your English teacher. In your letter:

thank him for the dinner
tell him about your studies
say how this advice helped you

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr. Thompson,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the wonderful dinner you hosted before my departure; it was such a thoughtful gesture and a lovely way to spend my final evening in the country.

My studies at the university have been quite intense so far, but I am thoroughly enjoying the academic environment. I have already started my core modules in International Relations, and although the workload is demanding, the lectures are incredibly stimulating and align perfectly with my career goals.

Your advice regarding the importance of active participation in seminars has proven invaluable. Initially, I felt rather hesitant to contribute, but remembering your encouragement helped me find the confidence to engage in discussions. Consequently, I have already formed a small study group with some of my peers, which has significantly improved my understanding of the course material.

Thank you once again for your guidance and hospitality. I look forward to keeping you updated on my progress throughout the semester.

Best wishes,

Julian Thorne

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response maintains a consistent semi-formal tone and addresses all three bullet points with specific, natural details. A common Band 6 mistake is including irrelevant information about the flight or accommodation instead of focusing on how the teacher's specific advice helped the student.

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

gesture: an action performed to show a particular feeling
intense: having a very high degree of difficulty
stimulating: encouraging new ideas or increased activity
invaluable: extremely useful or helpful in many ways
hesitant: feeling unsure or slow to act
hospitality: friendly and generous reception of guests

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.