Letter to a friend recommending city sights

The task

An English-speaking friend is going to visit your city for the first time for a weekend trip and asked for some advice on what to see and eat.

Write a letter to the relevant person. In your letter:

→suggest some interesting places to visit
→recommend some good local food and specific restaurants
→offer to meet them during their visit

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8201 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Sarah,

I was absolutely thrilled to hear that you are finally coming to stay for the weekend! It will be wonderful to show you around my home city, and I have put together a few ideas to help you make the most of your trip.

For sightseeing, you should definitely start at the Old Quarter. The architecture is stunning, and there is a fantastic museum housed in the historic clock tower that gives a great overview of our local history. If the weather holds up, a stroll through the Botanical Gardens is essential; it is the perfect spot for some quiet reflection away from the city centre.

As for food, you must try the traditional spiced lamb stew, which is a local delicacy. I highly recommend heading to The Rustic Table on High Street for an authentic version. If you fancy something more casual, the street food market near the harbour serves incredible seafood platters that are perfect for a quick lunch.

I would love to catch up properly while you are here. I am free all day Saturday, so perhaps we could grab a coffee and explore the harbour together? Let me know what you think.

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

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with specific, natural recommendations while maintaining a consistently warm and informal tone. A common Band 6 mistake is providing vague suggestions like 'visit the park' or 'eat good food' without naming specific locations or dishes, which fails to develop the response fully.

→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.
architecture
The style and design of buildings.
delicacy
A rare or expensive food item of local origin.
authentic
Genuine, real, or true to its origins.
casual
Relaxed, informal, or not requiring formal dress.
catch up
To meet someone to share recent life news.

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 advice letters

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