Informal letter to a friend about holiday

The task

You recently went on a fantastic holiday and want to tell your friend about it.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

→say where you went and who you went with
→describe the most memorable part of the trip
→suggest going there together next time

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 8169 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sarah,

How have you been? I just returned from a spectacular week in the Scottish Highlands, and I could not wait to tell you all about it. I decided to head up there with my brother, Mark, as we both desperately needed to escape the city grind for a while.

The absolute highlight of the trip was our hike through the Glencoe valley at sunrise. The way the golden light hit the jagged peaks was breathtaking, and we were lucky enough to spot a herd of wild red deer grazing in the mist. It felt like stepping into a different world; the sheer silence and scale of the landscape were incredibly grounding.

You would absolutely love the scenery there. I have already started looking at dates for next autumn, and I think we should definitely plan a trip together. It would be brilliant to catch up properly and tackle some of those trails with you.

Let me know if you might be free around October.

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.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with vivid, natural detail while maintaining a consistently relaxed, personal tone. A common mistake for Band 6 candidates is using overly formal phrases like 'I am writing to inform you' or failing to elaborate on the 'memorable part' beyond a simple sentence.

→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

city grind
the exhausting daily routine of urban life
spectacular
very impressive and visually beautiful
jagged
having rough, sharp, or pointed edges
grounding
making someone feel steady and mentally calm
brilliant
excellent or very enjoyable
tackle
to attempt to deal with a difficult task

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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