General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · giving information

Letter to friends about moving to their city

Your friends recently moved to a new city. You will also be moving to the same city.

Write a letter to your friends and include. In your letter:

ask where to find a place to live
tell them what type of place you're looking for
share some fun things you would like to do when you get there

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sarah and Mark,

I hope you are both settling into your new home in Bristol! I have some fantastic news: I have finally accepted a job offer in the city, so I will be relocating there next month. I am incredibly excited to be living in the same area as you again.

Since you have already navigated the local rental market, do you have any tips on where I should look for a place? I am not familiar with the different neighbourhoods yet, so any advice on areas that are safe and have a good vibe would be greatly appreciated.

I am ideally looking for a small one-bedroom flat, preferably within walking distance of the city centre. A bit of outdoor space, like a small balcony or a shared garden, would be a wonderful bonus, though my main priority is finding somewhere quiet where I can work from home comfortably.

Once I am settled, I cannot wait to explore the city with you both! I would love to check out some of the local independent coffee shops you mentioned, and perhaps we could even go for a hike in the nearby hills on a weekend.

See you very soon,

Alex

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response addresses all three bullet points with natural, cohesive language and maintains a consistently friendly tone throughout. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is using overly formal or robotic phrases like 'I am writing to inform you' which contradicts the informal relationship required.

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

relocating: moving to a different place to live or work
navigated: successfully found a way through a complex situation
rental market: the collection of available properties for rent
vibe: the atmosphere or feeling of a specific place
bonus: an extra benefit or pleasing addition
settled: established in a new home or routine

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.