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 friend sent you a thoughtful present for your birthday.
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 Hannah,
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 Hannah,
Thank you so much for the lovely present you sent for my birthday! The parcel arrived on Tuesday, and I was so excited that I opened it straight away.
I absolutely love the scarf. The colour is gorgeous, and it's so soft and warm. I've worn it every day since it came, even though it's not very cold yet! It was so thoughtful of you to remember that blue is my favourite colour, and the little card you wrote made me laugh out loud. It's exactly what I needed, because my old one fell apart last winter.
I had a really nice birthday. In the morning, my parents surprised me with breakfast in bed, and in the evening I went out for dinner with a group of friends from work. We ate at a lovely Italian restaurant and then went bowling, which I'm terrible at. My colleagues also gave me a big chocolate cake, and I'm afraid I ate far too much of it.
I only wish you could have been there. We must celebrate together when you come to visit.
Love,
Tanya
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Thanks a lot for | informal thank-you |
| It was so kind of you. | praise a kind act |
| I can't tell you how much it meant to me. | show strong feeling |
| I owe you one! | promise to return a favour |
| Write back soon! | friendly closing |
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.