Letter to a friend planning a visit abroad

The task

A friend you met last year has invited you to visit them in their country. You have never been there before and need some information before you leave.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

→request advice about a gift for his/her family
→ask about activities and clothing
→find out about the food

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8203 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mateo,

It was fantastic to hear from you! I am absolutely thrilled that you have invited me to visit your home country this summer. I have been looking forward to exploring your culture since we met last year, and I cannot wait to finally see where you grew up.

Since I am staying with your family, I would love to bring them a small token of appreciation. Do you have any suggestions for a gift that they might particularly enjoy? I want to make sure I choose something thoughtful that reflects my gratitude for their hospitality.

Could you also let me know what kind of activities we might be getting up to? I am trying to decide what to pack, and I am unsure if the weather will require light summer clothing or if I should bring a warmer jacket for the evenings. Any advice on the local dress code would be helpful, too.

Finally, I am quite curious about the cuisine. Are there any specific local dishes I should prepare myself for, or perhaps some ingredients I should be wary of? I am quite adventurous with food, but I would appreciate a heads-up on what to expect.

See you soon,

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 achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with specific, natural questions while maintaining a consistently warm and informal tone. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is using overly formal or repetitive sentence structures that sound unnatural in a letter to a close friend.

→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

thrilled
extremely pleased and excited about something
token of appreciation
a small gift given to express thanks
hospitality
friendly and generous reception of guests
dress code
the accepted standard of clothing in society
cuisine
a style or method of cooking
adventurous
willing to try new or difficult things

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 giving information letters

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