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General Training Task 1 letter

IELTS General Training Letter: Thanking a host

Question type: General Training Task 1: informal letter

The question

You recently stayed with a friend for a few days while you were travelling.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: - thank them for their hospitality - say what you enjoyed most about the visit - invite them to stay with you

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows: Dear ...,

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How to approach it

  1. Open warmly and thank your friend straight away.
  2. Mention specific moments you enjoyed; details make the letter sound genuine.
  3. Make a real invitation, with a suggested time.

Sample letter

195 words (minimum 150). Written to show the features of a Band 8-level answer.

Dear Sophie,

I just wanted to write and say a huge thank you for having me to stay last week. You and Marc made me feel so welcome, and after two weeks of travelling and staying in hotels, it was wonderful to feel at home again.

It's hard to choose what I enjoyed most, but I think it has to be the day we spent walking along the coast to that little fishing village. The views were absolutely stunning, and the seafood lunch in the harbour was one of the best meals I had on the whole trip. I also loved our late-night chats in the kitchen. It felt just like when we shared a flat at university!

Now it's your turn to visit me. I'd love it if you and Marc could come and stay with us in Toronto next summer. We've just moved into a bigger apartment, so there's plenty of space, and I'd be happy to show you around the city. If you come in July, we could even take a trip to Niagara Falls, which is only a couple of hours away.

Let me know what you think, and thanks again for everything.

Lots of love,

Priya

Useful language from this answer

a huge thank you for having me to stay
informal thanks for hospitality
You made me feel so welcome
praising your host
It's hard to choose what I enjoyed most, but…
introducing a highlight
Now it's your turn to visit me
a friendly invitation
Let me know what you think
an informal ending

Common mistakes with this question

  • Writing too formally to a friend. Contractions and friendly phrases are expected.
  • Missing one of the three bullet points.
  • Forgetting a natural opening and closing, such as 'Hope you're well' and 'Best wishes'.

Now write your own answer

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This model answer was written by TestWise Prep to show the features of a high-scoring answer. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise.