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.
A colleague is retiring after thirty years and your team is organising a lunch for him.
Write a letter to your manager, Ms Wright. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Ms Wright,
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
A letter to a named person ends Yours sincerely, followed by your full 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 Ms Wright,
I am writing on behalf of the sales team to invite you to a farewell lunch for Mr Edwards, who is retiring at the end of this month after thirty years with the company.
The lunch will take place on Friday 28 June at the Garden Restaurant, which is a short walk from the office. We will meet in the reception area at 12.15 pm, and the meal will begin at 12.30. The cost will be covered by a collection among the staff, and we expect about thirty people.
We hope that you will be able to join us because Mr Edwards has always spoken warmly about your support, and it would mean a great deal to him to have you there.
Would you also be willing to say a few words after the main course? It would be fitting to hear a few remarks from you as our manager.
I would be grateful if you could let me know by Friday 14 June.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Bennett
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I'd like to invite you to | polite invitation |
| We'd be delighted if you could come. | warm but polite invitation |
| It starts at around | give an approximate time |
| Do let me know if you can make it. | ask for a reply |
| I hope to see you there. | friendly closing |
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