General Training Writing Task 1 · informal · apology

Letter to a friend cancelling movie plans: 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.
  • 172 words
  • Informal letters
  • Apology
  • 20 minutes
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The task

Your friend had made a plan for you to see a movie together but you can now not join him. You've found another friend who can go instead of you.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

  • →explain why you cannot go anymore
  • →say who can go instead of you
  • →say why this person is a good person to go with

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8172 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sam,

I am so sorry, but I won’t be able to make it to the cinema with you this Friday evening after all. Something unexpected has come up at work, and my manager has just asked me to stay late to finish a report that is due first thing Monday morning.

However, I have already checked with our mutual friend, David, and he is more than happy to take my ticket. He has been dying to see this particular film since the trailer dropped last month, so it works out perfectly for him.

I think you will have a great time with David because he is a huge fan of the director. He is also brilliant at discussing cinematography, so you will definitely have a lot to talk about over a drink afterwards. I feel terrible about missing out, but I know you two will get along famously.

Let’s reschedule for next week once my workload settles down. I’ll give you a call on Sunday to catch up.

Best wishes,

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 reaches Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with natural, cohesive language and a consistently warm, informal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific, logical reason for why the replacement friend is a good choice, instead offering only generic compliments.

  • →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

  • unexpected

    something that happens without being planned or foreseen

  • due

    expected to arrive or be completed at a time

  • dropped

    when a trailer or product is released publicly

  • cinematography

    the art of making motion pictures or photography

  • famously

    in a very successful or harmonious way

  • settles down

    to become calm or return to a normal state

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?+

This response reaches Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with natural, cohesive language and a consistently warm, informal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a specific, logical reason for why the replacement friend is a good choice, instead offering only generic compliments.

Keep practising

More apology letters

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