General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · giving information

Letter to colleague recommending my current rental apartment

You are moving out of your accommodation. Do you think the place is suitable for your English-speaking colleague who is arriving next month?

Write a letter to your colleague. In your letter:

explain why you are shifting out
describe your accommodation
why is it suitable for your friend

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mark,

I hope your preparations for moving to the city are going well! I am getting in touch because I am vacating my flat next month, and I immediately thought of you.

I have decided to move out because my company is relocating me to the northern branch. It was a difficult decision, as I have grown quite fond of this space, but the new role is a fantastic opportunity for my career progression.

The accommodation is a bright, one-bedroom apartment located in a quiet residential pocket. It features a modern, open-plan kitchen and a small balcony that gets plenty of sunlight in the afternoon. The building is well-maintained, and the neighbours are exceptionally friendly and respectful.

I believe this place would be perfect for you because it is situated just a ten-minute walk from our office. You would save a fortune on commuting costs, and the surrounding area has excellent amenities, including a 24-hour supermarket and several great coffee shops. It is a peaceful sanctuary after a busy day at work.

Let me know if you would like me to put you in touch with the landlord.

Best wishes,

James

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

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with natural, cohesive language and maintaining a consistent, friendly tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific, logical reasons why the accommodation suits the colleague, instead offering only vague or repetitive descriptions.

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

vacating: leaving a building or room permanently
relocating: moving to a different place to work
open-plan: a layout with few internal dividing walls
well-maintained: kept in good condition through regular care
amenities: useful or desirable features of a location
sanctuary: a place of refuge or quiet safety

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.