Informal Letter Asking a Friend to Look After a Pet
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 247 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.
You are going on holiday for two weeks and need someone to look after your pet while you are away. You would like to ask a close friend. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: - Explain where you are going and why - Describe what looking after your pet involves - Offer to do something in return Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear ...,
How to approach it
- 01Use an informal greeting (e.g., 'Dear Maya') and sign off with 'Lots of love' or 'All the best'
- 02Adopt a warm, chatty tone — contractions and informal phrasing are fine and expected
- 03Cover all three bullet points: destination/reason, pet care details, and something in return
- 04Include personal details to show closeness — references to family, shared memories, the pet's quirks
- 05Use informal vocabulary: 'big favour', 'rescue me on this', 'just say the word'
- 06Keep paragraphs short and friendly rather than densely written
Model answer
247 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 Maya,
I hope you and the family are well! It's been ages since we last caught up properly and I'm long overdue a proper visit. I'm actually writing because I need to ask you for a big favour — would you be able to look after Pickle, my cat, while I'm away for a couple of weeks?
The reason for the trip is that my sister is finally getting married in Lisbon, and I've decided to make a real holiday of it. I fly out on 6 June and won't be back until the 20th. Pickle absolutely hates the cattery, and you're the only person he genuinely seems to like, so you're my dream choice!
Looking after him is honestly very easy. He needs a small bowl of dry food in the morning, fresh water topped up once a day, and a quick scoop of the litter tray. He's very independent so he'll mostly nap in the conservatory and ignore you, but he does love a chin scratch in the evening.
If you can rescue me on this, I'd love to return the favour. How about I take Felix and Otto for a long weekend at my parents' place in the New Forest in August? I know you and Tom have been desperate for a child-free break, so just say the word and I'll set it up.
Let me know as soon as you can, and please give Tom a hug from me!
Lots of love, Sarah
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.
23 more than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 31 at the longest
3 more than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 17.6 words and vary by 7.4 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 31. 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. 5 of the 14 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
5 in total, spread across 3 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.
while
because, since
finally, once
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 81 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 71 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 3 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 bullet points fully and maintain a consistent informal tone appropriate for a close friend.
Coherence & Cohesion
Organise the letter into clear, friendly paragraphs with smooth transitions.
Lexical Resource
Use vocabulary, contractions, and idioms appropriate for informal correspondence with a friend.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Demonstrate a range of structures accurately while keeping the register conversational.
You have read one model answer. Now get one marked.
Paste your own attempt at this question and get a band for each criterion, with the exact sentences costing you marks.
Score my answer