General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · making arrangements

Letter to a cousin regarding their upcoming arrival: 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.
  • 187 words
  • Informal letters
  • Making arrangements
  • 20 minutes
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The task

A family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the morning, but you won't be home until the evening.

Write a letter to your relative. In your letter:

  • →explain the arrangements you have made for him/her to get keys
  • →tell your relative how to get from the train station to your house
  • →say when you will be home and suggest what you could do together that evening

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8187 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear James,

I am absolutely thrilled that you are finally coming to stay with me next weekend! It will be wonderful to catch up properly after such a long time apart.

Regarding the keys, I have left a spare set with my neighbour, Mrs. Higgins, who lives at number 42. She is usually home all day, so please just knock on her door when you arrive; I have already mentioned that you are coming and she is happy to help.

To get to my place from the station, the easiest way is to take the number 12 bus from the stop directly outside the main entrance. Get off at the third stop, which is Oak Street, and my house is the blue one just around the corner. It is only a ten-minute journey.

I expect to finish work around 6:00 p.m., so I should be home shortly after that. Once I am back, I was thinking we could head into town for a nice curry at that new Indian restaurant I told you about. I have heard it is fantastic.

See you very soon!

Best wishes,

Sarah

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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 with natural, cohesive language and maintains a consistent, warm tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is providing vague travel directions or failing to address the specific time constraints, which results in an incomplete response to the prompt.

  • →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

  • catch up

    talk to someone you have not seen recently

  • spare set

    an extra pair of something kept in case

  • main entrance

    the primary door used for entering a building

  • shortly after

    a little bit of time following an event

  • fantastic

    extremely good or excellent in quality

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 with natural, cohesive language and maintains a consistent, warm tone throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is providing vague travel directions or failing to address the specific time constraints, which results in an incomplete response to the prompt.

Keep practising

More making arrangements letters

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