IELTS Informal Letter: Letter to colleague recommending my current rental apartment

The task

You are moving out of your accommodation. Do you think the place is suitable for your English-speaking colleague who is arriving next month?

Write a letter to your colleague. In your letter:

→explain why you are shifting out
→describe your accommodation
→why is it suitable for your friend

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 Mark,

I hope your preparations for moving to the city are going well! I am getting in touch because I am vacating my flat next month, and I immediately thought of you.

I have decided to move out because my company is relocating me to the northern branch. It was a difficult decision, as I have grown quite fond of this space, but the new role is a fantastic opportunity for my career progression.

The accommodation is a bright, one-bedroom apartment located in a quiet residential pocket. It features a modern, open-plan kitchen and a small balcony that gets plenty of sunlight in the afternoon. The building is well-maintained, and the neighbours are exceptionally friendly and respectful.

I believe this place would be perfect for you because it is situated just a ten-minute walk from our office. You would save a fortune on commuting costs, and the surrounding area has excellent amenities, including a 24-hour supermarket and several great coffee shops. It is a peaceful sanctuary after a busy day at work.

Let me know if you would like me to put you in touch with the landlord.

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

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with natural, cohesive language and maintaining a consistent, friendly tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide specific, logical reasons why the accommodation suits the colleague, instead offering only 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

vacating
leaving a building or room permanently
relocating
moving to a different place to work
open-plan
a layout with few internal dividing walls
well-maintained
kept in good condition through regular care
amenities
useful or desirable features of a location
sanctuary
a place of refuge or quiet safety

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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