Use the greeting, sign-off and paragraph plan below for this semi-formal 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 had a large tree in your garden removed and your neighbour is upset because it gave her shade.
Write a letter to your neighbour, Mrs Fisher. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mrs Fisher,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter to someone you know but not closely can end Kind regards or Best wishes as well as Yours sincerely, followed by your 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 Mrs Fisher,
I hope you are well. I wanted to write to you personally about the large oak tree in my garden, which was removed last week, as I know that it gave you shade for many years and that you were upset when you saw it gone.
It was not an easy decision. A tree surgeon examined it in the spring and told me that the trunk was rotten inside and that two of the main branches might fall at any time. It stood close to both our houses, and I could not risk a branch injuring somebody or damaging your conservatory in a storm.
I fully understand how you feel. It was a beautiful tree. I felt sad about it too, as my children had a swing in it.
To make up for the loss, I would be happy to plant a young tree or a hedge near the fence, at my own expense.
Kind regards,
Jane Alexander
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I'd like to explain what happened. | open an explanation politely |
| That's why | link a cause to a result |
| I hope that makes things clearer. | polite closing |
| I realise this may have caused some confusion. | acknowledge a misunderstanding |
| Please don't hesitate to ask if you need more details. | invite questions |
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.