Letter to a friend offering relocation advice

The task

A friend from another country is moving to your city for work. He / she has asked you for advice about living in your city.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

→suggest an interesting part of the city to live in
→describe the public transport in your city
→say how your friend can meet new people there

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8211 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sam,

It is fantastic news that you are finally moving to London for your new job! I am absolutely thrilled that you will be living in the same city, and I would be happy to help you settle in.

For a place to live, I highly recommend looking at Islington. It has a wonderful community feel with a blend of leafy streets and vibrant cafes, plus it is quite central. You would be within walking distance of some great parks, which is a rare treat in such a bustling metropolis.

Regarding getting around, the public transport is extensive. The Underground network is your best bet for speed, though the buses are excellent if you want to see the sights while commuting. I suggest downloading a travel app immediately to keep track of live updates and delays, as the system can get quite busy during peak hours.

As for making friends, there are many local hobby clubs and evening classes you could join. I am part of a weekend hiking group that meets every Saturday, and we are always welcoming new members. It is a brilliant way to socialise while exploring the outskirts of the city.

Let me know when you arrive so we can grab a coffee.

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

A Band 8 response fully addresses all three bullet points with natural, cohesive language and maintains a consistently friendly tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific, actionable advice, instead offering vague generalisations that do not help the reader.

→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

bustling
a place that is full of busy activity
metropolis
a very large and busy capital city
extensive
covering a large area or having many parts
commute
the journey made to work and back daily
socialise
to spend time enjoying yourself with other people
outskirts
the outer parts of a town or city

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 advice letters

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