Informal Letter · Asking a Friend for Advice About Studying Abroad
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 261 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
A close friend of yours studied abroad a few years ago. You are now planning to do the same and would like their advice. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: - Tell them about your study abroad plans - Ask for advice about settling in to a new country - Suggest a way you can meet up to discuss it further Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sam,
How to approach it
- 01Use 'Dear Sam' as given and an informal sign-off like 'Lots of love' or 'Take care'
- 02Open with a warm personal greeting that asks about the recipient before launching into your news
- 03Be specific about your plans (course, city, dates, accommodation) so the advice request feels real
- 04Group your questions thematically — practical settling-in vs emotional/social challenges
- 05Propose a concrete way to meet (place, possible dates) rather than a vague 'sometime soon'
- 06Use a relaxed, informal register: contractions, conversational phrasing, light humour
Model answer
261 words in 7 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Dear Sam,
I hope you're doing well and that the new job is treating you kindly! I have some exciting news, and I would really love your advice before I commit to anything.
As you know, I have been hovering over the idea of doing a master's abroad for a couple of years now. I have finally accepted a place on an MSc in Environmental Engineering at the University of Melbourne, starting this coming February. I am moving on my own, signing a one-year lease on a small studio in Carlton, and surviving entirely on a partial scholarship plus my own savings. It is the most exciting and the most terrifying thing I have ever done.
This is where I really need your help. When you moved to Toronto, how on earth did you settle in? I'd love to hear how you handled the practical side — opening a bank account, finding a doctor, that sort of thing — but I'd be even more grateful for your thoughts on the harder parts: making friends outside the university, dealing with homesickness in the first few months, and pacing yourself when the workload arrives. Any rookie mistakes I should avoid?
Could we get together properly so I can pick your brain? I am free for the next three Saturdays and would happily come up to your end of town. We could go for brunch at that little place near Highbury you keep talking about. Just let me know what works.
Thanks so much in advance, Sam — it would mean a lot.
Lots of love, Noor
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 31 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
37 more than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 54 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 16.3 words and vary by 11.4 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 54. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 3 of the 16 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
2 in total, spread across 1 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
finally, next
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 79 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 68 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 2 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Address all three bullets fully: share your plans, ask for advice, and propose a way to meet up.
Coherence & Cohesion
Use a clear paragraph for each bullet with appropriate informal opening, internal linking, and closing.
Lexical Resource
Use vocabulary appropriate to an informal letter to a close friend, including idioms and conversational phrasing.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Use a range of tenses including the present perfect for ongoing plans and modal verbs for requests and suggestions.
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