Letter to a friend inviting them on vacation

The task

You Are Planning to Take a Vacation.

Write a Letter to A Friend. In your letter:

→describe the Vacation Spot You Have Chosen
→explain how You Plan to Spend Your Time There
→invite Your Friend to Join You on Your Vacation

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8186 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sarah,

I hope everything is going well with you. I have finally booked some time off work next month and have decided to escape to the Isle of Skye for a week-long getaway. It is absolutely breathtaking there, with dramatic, mist-covered mountains and rugged coastlines that look like something straight out of a fantasy novel.

My plan is to keep things fairly low-key. I am hoping to spend most of my days hiking the Quiraing trail and photographing the dramatic landscapes. In the evenings, I intend to find a cosy local pub to enjoy some fresh seafood and perhaps listen to some live traditional folk music by the fire.

It would be wonderful if you could join me! I know how much you enjoy photography, and the scenery there is truly unparalleled. It would be a great chance for us to catch up properly away from the daily grind. Do let me know if you are free between the 12th and 19th of next month, as I would love to share this adventure with you.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes,

Jamie

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.

Write a letter, get a band free →

Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This response achieves Band 8 by fully addressing all three bullet points with natural, cohesive language and an appropriate informal tone. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link the description of the location to the proposed activities, resulting in a disjointed letter.

→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

breathtaking
extremely beautiful or impressive to look at
low-key
not elaborate, showy, or intense; quiet and relaxed
rugged
having an uneven, broken, or rocky surface
unparalleled
having no equal; better than anything else
daily grind
the exhausting and repetitive nature of work
getaway
a short holiday or a place for one

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?+

Keep practising

More invitation letters

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy