General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · thanks

Letter to a friend thanking them for a gift: 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.
  • 167 words
  • Informal letters
  • Thanks
  • 20 minutes
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The task

You recently received a lovely gift from a friend.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

  • →thank them for the gift
  • →explain how you are using it
  • →suggest meeting up soon

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8167 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sarah,

I hope you have been keeping well since we last spoke! I was absolutely thrilled to receive the beautiful leather-bound journal you sent me for my birthday. It was such a thoughtful surprise and truly made my day.

I have already started using it as a daily sketchbook. The paper quality is fantastic, and it handles my fountain pen ink perfectly without bleeding through. I have been spending my quiet evenings in the garden capturing the local flora, and it has been a wonderful way to unwind after a long shift at the office.

Since it has been a while, I would love to catch up properly. Are you free next weekend? Perhaps we could grab a coffee at that new cafe in the city centre, or even go for a walk in the park if the weather stays this pleasant. Let me know what your schedule looks like.

I really appreciate your kindness and cannot wait to see you again soon.

Best wishes,

James

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 covers all three bullet points naturally while maintaining a warm, consistent tone throughout the letter. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to provide specific, personal details about how the gift is being used, instead providing vague or repetitive descriptions.

  • →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

  • leather-bound

    having a cover made of high-quality leather material

  • thrilled

    feeling extremely pleased and excited about something

  • bleeding through

    ink soaking through to the other side of paper

  • unwind

    to relax after a period of work or stress

  • flora

    the plants of a particular region or environment

  • catch up

    to talk to someone you have not seen recently

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?+

A Band 8 response covers all three bullet points naturally while maintaining a warm, consistent tone throughout the letter. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to provide specific, personal details about how the gift is being used, instead providing vague or repetitive descriptions.

Keep practising

More thanks letters

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