Use the greeting, sign-off and paragraph plan below for this informal letter, write it on a 20-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model letter.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Your cousin borrowed your bicycle and returned it damaged.
Write a letter to your cousin. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Rustam,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter to a friend ends warmly, for example Best wishes or Love, followed by your first name.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 150 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Dear Rustam,
I hope you're well! I'm writing about my bike, because I need to talk to you about what happened when you borrowed it.
When you returned it on Sunday, I noticed straight away that the front wheel was bent, the back brake wasn't working, and there was a long scratch down the frame. You said it was "just a small fall", but it looks like a lot more than that. A mechanic told me the wheel will need replacing.
Honestly, I'm quite upset. I saved up for months to buy that bike, and I use it every day to get to university. I let you borrow it because I trust you, so I was hoping you'd take more care. I'm not furious, but it did spoil my week.
I'd like you to pay for the repair. The mechanic said it will cost about 60 euros. If you can't manage it all at once, that's fine, you can pay in two parts.
Let me know when you can come round.
Best wishes,
Timur
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I have to be honest, | introduce a frank opinion |
| I was really annoyed when | say you were upset |
| I can't believe that | express surprise or anger |
| It's just not fair. | say something is unjust |
| Anyway, I just needed to get this off my chest. | say you wanted to share a worry |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.
Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.