Get some IELTS practice by answering the informal General Writing Task 1 question below.
Our model answer follows the following template…
Salutation – following an informal style
1st paragraph – answering the first bullet point
2nd paragraph – answering the second bullet point
3rd paragraph – answering the third bullet point [being careful to include more than one ‘thing’ as the question requires
Sign off – an informal sign off to keep the tone consistent
The Mock IELTS General Task 1 Question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write at least 150 words.
A friend is coming to visit you. You arranged to collect him/her at the train station but this is not now possible.
Write a letter to this friend. In your letter:
- explain why you cannot meet them at the train station
- say what your friend should do when he/she arrives
- describe some of the things you have planned for his/her visit
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear …………… ,
The Answer
Dear Emily,
With apologies, I can no longer pick you up at King’s Cross tomorrow evening as planned. As you know, Lucky the Golden Retriever has been having difficulty with his hind legs for some considerable time (as is often the case with this breed of dog in their later years!), and we’ll need to use the car to take him to the vet tomorrow.
Don’t worry, though – we’ve got you covered with a backup plan! You can reach us with a short hop on Underground. Turn right upon your exit from the station and head down to the Tube, then catch the first Victoria Line service to Highbury & Islington, and we’ll meet you there instead.
It’s going to be quite the trip – we haven’t seen you for years, after all – and we have lots of activities planned for you! On Thursday, we’ll be doing a ‘ghost walk’, visiting some of London’s most famously haunted locations, and on Friday, we’ll be taking in a show in the West End. We can’t wait to see you.
Yours,
Patrick
What next?
If you would like to get some IELTS practice, answer the same question and purchase one of our Writing Correction Packages to get feedback.
If you would like to watch a video about how to write IELTS General Task 1 letters, visit this page.