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.
A close friend has cancelled plans with you at the last minute for the third time.
Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Maria,
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 Maria,
I know you said sorry, but I wanted to write properly, because I was quite upset when you cancelled on Saturday.
I'd been looking forward to seeing you all week,. When I got your text just an hour before we were due to meet, I felt disappointed and a bit annoyed. This is the third time in a month that you've cancelled at the last minute, and it's starting to feel as if our plans aren't very important to you.
I'm not angry, but I really want to understand what's going on. I know you've been busy with your new job, but is there something else bothering you? You can tell me.
Let's try something different. Instead of making big plans, we could just meet for a quick coffee near your office one lunchtime, or go for a walk on Sunday morning. Then if you're too tired, it won't matter so much.
Let me know what you think!
Love,
Dana
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I have to be honest, | introduce a frank opinion |
| I can't believe that | express surprise or anger |
| It's just not fair. | say something is unjust |
| Can you do something about it? | ask a friend to help |
| 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.
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