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 and a few neighbours are organising a street party to celebrate the start of summer.
Write a letter to your neighbour, Mrs Murphy. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mrs Murphy,
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 Murphy,
I hope you are well. A few of us on the street have decided to organise a party to celebrate the start of summer, and I am writing to invite you and your family to join us.
It will be a relaxed afternoon in the middle of Cedar Close, which the council has agreed to close to traffic for the day. There will be a barbecue, a table of cold drinks and music, and we are also planning games for the children, including a football match and a treasure hunt.
If you would like to contribute, it would be wonderful if you could bring a dish to share. Everyone remembers your lemon cake from last year's picnic. A folding chair would also help.
The party will be held on Saturday 21 June, from 2 pm until about 7 pm.
We would be delighted if you could come, and please let me know if you can.
Kind regards,
Helen Dougherty
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I'd like to invite you to | polite invitation |
| It starts at around | give an approximate time |
| Do let me know if you can make it. | ask for a reply |
| Please feel free to bring | say someone may bring a guest |
| I hope to see you there. | friendly closing |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
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Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.