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.
Your teacher wrote a recommendation letter that helped you get a place at university.
Write a letter to your teacher, Ms Foster. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Ms Foster,
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 Foster,
I am writing to thank you most sincerely for the recommendation letter that you wrote for my university application. I am delighted to tell you that I have been offered a place on the Law degree at the University of Leeds, which was my first choice.
The admissions tutor told me in the interview that your letter had made a strong impression on her. She said that it described my work and personality in a way that no exam results could, and I am sure it made a real difference to the decision. I know how busy you were at the time, so I really appreciate the effort you made.
You have helped me in so many ways. You pushed me to improve my essays when I was happy with average marks, you encouraged me to join the debating club, and you believed in me when I doubted myself. I would not be where I am now without you.
I hope to visit the school before I leave in September, and I would be very happy to tell you more about my plans.
Yours sincerely,
Camille Laurent
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I just wanted to say thank you for | warm, polite opening |
| It was extremely kind of you to | praise someone's generosity |
| It meant a great deal to me. | say something was very important |
| I'd love to return the favour some time. | offer to help in future |
| Thanks again for everything. | 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.