General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · making arrangements

Letter to a friend about airport pickup arrangements: IELTS informal letter sample

An IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 informal letter with a Band 8 sample answer, why it scores well and the phrases worth borrowing for your own letter writing.
  • 192 words
  • Informal letters
  • Making arrangements
  • 20 minutes
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The task

You have invited a friend to come to your house next holiday. He/she has asked you how to get to your house from the airport. However, you are going to the airport to receive him/her.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

  • →explain that you will meet him/her at the airport
  • →say what you have planned for your friend
  • →write some important things that he/she might find useful

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8192 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sam,

I am absolutely thrilled that you are finally coming to stay with me over the upcoming holidays. I received your message asking for directions to my place, but please do not worry about navigating the public transport system alone.

I have already checked your flight details, and I will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall at the airport. It is much easier for me to drive you back home, and it will give us plenty of time to catch up properly on the journey.

Regarding our time together, I have planned a trip to the Lake District for a couple of days of hiking, followed by a local food festival happening that weekend. I am also keen to show you some of my favourite hidden spots in the city centre.

One thing you should pack is a sturdy pair of waterproof boots, as the weather here is notoriously unpredictable. Also, remember to bring a travel adapter for your devices, as our plug sockets are likely different from yours. Don’t worry about bringing too many toiletries, as I have plenty stocked up.

See you very soon!

Best wishes,

Alex

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.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This response reaches Band 8 by fully addressing all bullet points with natural, cohesive language and maintaining a consistent, warm tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is providing overly complicated directions to the house, failing to realise that the prompt specifies the sender is picking them up instead.

  • →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.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

  • navigating

    finding a way through a complex area

  • arrivals hall

    the area where passengers exit after flights

  • catch up

    to talk and exchange news with someone

  • notoriously

    famous for something typically bad or unreliable

  • unpredictable

    changing often and therefore hard to forecast

  • stocked up

    having a large supply of something stored

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 many words 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.

What does the examiner look for?+

This response reaches Band 8 by fully addressing all bullet points with natural, cohesive language and maintaining a consistent, warm tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is providing overly complicated directions to the house, failing to realise that the prompt specifies the sender is picking them up instead.

Keep practising

More making arrangements letters

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