Informal Thank-You Letter to a Friend
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 253 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 recently spent a weekend with a friend in another town. You had a great time and want to thank them for their hospitality. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: - thank your friend for the weekend and say what you enjoyed most - explain how the visit has affected your plans for the future - invite your friend to come and stay with you soon Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear ...,
How to approach it
- 01Open with a friendly greeting using the friend's first name — 'Dear Priya,'
- 02Use an informal, warm tone with contractions: 'I'm', 'don't', 'we've'
- 03Cover all three bullet points, ideally one or two short paragraphs each
- 04Include specific, vivid details (the food, the market, the walk) — generic thanks feels flat
- 05Sign off informally: 'Lots of love', 'Take care', 'All the best' — never 'Yours faithfully'
- 06Vary sentence length and use exclamations sparingly to convey enthusiasm naturally
Model answer
253 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 Priya,
I'm finally back home and unpacked, and I just had to write to say a huge thank you for the most wonderful weekend. Honestly, I haven't laughed that much in months — you and Arjun were such generous hosts.
The highlight for me was definitely Saturday morning at the harbour market. I keep thinking about those tiny lemon tarts from the French stall, and that little jazz trio playing by the lighthouse was such a lovely surprise. The walk up to the headland in the afternoon was beautiful too, even if my legs are still complaining! Coming back to your cosy flat for that homemade lamb curry and far too much wine was the perfect end to the day.
Spending time in your neighbourhood has actually got me thinking seriously about moving out of the city next year. I've been putting it off for ages, but watching how relaxed your life is by the coast made me realise how much I want that for myself. I'm already looking at flats nearby — don't be surprised if I end up as your neighbour!
You absolutely must come and stay with me very soon to return the favour. The new flat is small but the spare room is yours whenever you want it, and I'd love to show you my favourite walks along the canal. How about the long weekend at the end of June? Let me know what works for you.
Thanks again for everything. Big hug to Arjun too.
Lots of love, Maya
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.
29 more than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 27 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 15.8 words and vary by 8 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 27. 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. 7 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, 78 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 66 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 4 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 in a clearly informal register
Coherence & Cohesion
Natural flow between paragraphs with conversational linking
Lexical Resource
Informal vocabulary, idiomatic phrases and personal warmth
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Range of tenses and conditional forms with accuracy
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