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.
You have switched to a different course at university, and a friend is surprised.
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 Farid,
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 Farid,
I heard from Mum that you were surprised I'd changed courses, so I wanted to explain properly. I know it must have come as a shock after I'd spent two years studying law.
The truth is that I never really enjoyed it. I chose law because my parents thought it would give me a safe career, but I found it dull. Last term, I took an optional course in psychology, and I loved it so much that I realised I'd been following the wrong path.
So I've switched to a degree in psychology. It's very different: we study how people think and behave, and we do experiments instead of memorising laws. The teachers are enthusiastic, and I'm already enjoying the classes much more.
I'm really happy with my decision, although it hasn't been easy. I'll have to spend an extra year at university, and my parents were disappointed at first. But I feel more motivated than I have for ages.
Let's catch up soon and I'll tell you more.
Best wishes,
Daria
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I'd better explain what happened. | start telling a story |
| The thing is, | introduce an explanation |
| That's why | link a reason to a result |
| I hope you understand. | ask for sympathy |
| Sorry for the long email! | apologise for length |
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.