By English Test Coach · Updated
General Training Task 1 · Friendly language, complete information
An informal letter can be warm and conversational while still giving clear, developed answers. Start with the relationship and purpose, then decide what your friend needs to know or do.
The official IELTS General Training format requires a letter of at least 150 words, with a style suited to the situation. These fictional questions, extracts and annotated answers are original teaching material, not official or examiner-scored responses.
You accepted an invitation to a friend’s celebration but can no longer attend. Write a letter to your friend. Explain why you cannot come, apologise, and suggest another way to celebrate together.
The friend already expects you to attend. The opening should make the change clear, rather than spend most of a paragraph on a general greeting. “I’m really sorry, but I won’t be able to come to your birthday dinner on Saturday after all” establishes both the purpose and a personal tone.
These points do different jobs. A long account of the family problem does not replace an apology, and “We should meet sometime” leaves the alternative undeveloped. Keep the reason proportionate so there is room for the friend and the next arrangement.
“Could I take you out for lunch the following weekend instead? I’m free on Saturday or Sunday, so let me know which suits you. There’s a new café by the river that I think you’d enjoy.”
The invitation includes an activity, a realistic time window and an easy reply. It does not assume the friend is free. Read the complete apology letter and paragraph annotations to see how the reason, apology and alternative fit together.
You are moving to a new home and would like a friend to help you. Write a letter to your friend. Explain when you are moving, describe the help you need, and say how you will thank your friend.
A friendly request still needs practical detail. “Can you help me move?” leaves the reader uncertain about the date, duration and work involved. In this task, the thank-you is also an explicit point, so do not leave it as a bare “thanks” at the end.
“Would you be able to lend me a hand for an hour or two?” states a limited request. “No problem if that weekend is difficult” leaves room for the friend to decline.
Relevant details can reduce uncertainty: which items are already packed, whether equipment is provided and how far apart the homes are. Choose details that develop the task; a lengthy description of the new wallpaper would add little.
The apology letter and moving letter both need arrangements, but their purposes differ. One repairs a changed commitment; the other asks for a new favour. Do not copy the same opening or closing into both. Compare the full moving-help letter with the apology example.
A friend is considering taking a professional course that you recently completed. Write a letter to your friend. Describe the course, explain what you found useful, and give advice about preparing for it.
This task asks for three different things: describe the course, explain what helped you and advise your friend about preparation. A letter that only praises the course can sound friendly while leaving two of those jobs undeveloped.
“Before the course starts, I’d practise entering dates and sorting a table in a spreadsheet. Most of the planning templates are completed on a laptop, so being comfortable with those basics would let you concentrate on the planning exercise.”
This adapted teaching extract offers a manageable action and explains its value. It does not claim that Sam needs advanced formulas or must buy particular software. Read the complete course-advice letter for the original answer and paragraph notes.
“I’d…” and “You might find it helpful to…” can introduce advice to a friend. A direct “Bring a project idea” can also be natural when its purpose is clear. Do not soften every sentence with several polite phrases or turn personal experience into a universal rule. Explain what helped you and why it might help this reader.
Draft: “The course is really good. You must be organised and do all the work.” Use these fictional notes to give one useful recommendation: classes on Saturday; weekly planning homework; leaving it until Friday made the writer rush.
“I’d set aside some time after each Saturday class for the weekly planning task. I left mine until Friday once and had to rush, so doing it earlier would give you time to work through anything you find difficult.”
The revision supplies an action, a relevant personal experience and a reason. It is an adapted paragraph exercise, not the exact sample text or a complete letter. You would still need the course description, developed evaluation and a natural ending.
Use the course question and planning notes to outline all three points, then write your own advice letter. Your preparation details may differ from the sample, provided they fit the situation and remain consistent.
A first-name greeting such as “Dear Leo” or “Hi Sam” can fit a friend. Contractions such as “I’m”, “you’ve” and “can’t” can make the voice conversational. Expressions such as “catch up”, “lend me a hand” and “lunch is on me” work when they match the meaning.
Full forms are also possible. The goal is a consistent relationship, not a required number of contractions or idioms. Use a phrase only if you can place it naturally in a sentence.
“I hereby request your assistance in transporting my possessions” sounds unnecessarily distant in this friendly request. “Can u help pls???” turns a connected letter into text-message shorthand.
Keep spelling, punctuation and complete sentences under control. Repeated exclamation marks or exaggerated slang do not supply warmth or develop a task point.
Before a closing such as “All the best” or “Best wishes”, tell the friend what happens next: choose a lunch day, confirm whether they can help or send an arrival time. Use the name or greeting supplied by the task where relevant. The ending should fit the letter’s actual purpose, rather than introduce a new unrelated request.
For a manager, landlord or organisation, reconsider the relationship. Use the semi-formal example or formal-letter guide instead of assuming every familiar situation calls for the same register.
“Sorry I can’t come. Something has happened. Let’s do something soon. Hope you understand!”
The voice is friendly, but the reason and alternative are too vague. Revise it with a reason that explains the timing, an acknowledgement of the friend’s arrangements and a specific invitation. Keep the details fictional and internally consistent.
“I’m sorry I can’t make your birthday dinner on Saturday. I need to help my sister that evening because her childcare arrangement has fallen through. I know you’ve already reserved our table, so please tell me if I should contact the restaurant about my place. Could I take you to the riverside café for lunch next Sunday instead?”
The revision explains the clash, recognises the booking and proposes another celebration. It is a paragraph exercise, not a complete 150-word answer. Develop the full letter in connected paragraphs and keep any further details consistent with this version.
A friend from another country is coming to visit your area. Write a letter suggesting where they should stay, describing activities you can do together, and giving advice about what to bring.
Practise: Connect the accommodation, shared activities and packing advice so your friend can prepare for the visit.
A friend is considering taking a professional course that you recently completed. Write a letter to your friend. Describe the course, explain what you found useful, and give advice about preparing for it.
Practise: Distinguish a description of the course from what helped you and what your friend should do beforehand.
You accepted an invitation to a friend’s celebration but can no longer attend. Write a letter to your friend. Explain why you cannot come, apologise, and suggest another way to celebrate together.
Practise: Explain the changed plan, recognise its effect on your friend and suggest a specific alternative celebration.
You recently stayed with a friend for a weekend. Write a letter to your friend. Thank them for the visit, describe something you particularly enjoyed, and invite them to stay with you.
Practise: Develop the thank-you with a particular memory, then make the return invitation practical.
You are moving to a new home and would like a friend to help you. Write a letter to your friend. Explain when you are moving, describe the help you need, and say how you will thank your friend.
Practise: Give the date and time, explain the actual work and offer a concrete way to thank your friend.
Use the purpose-and-tone lesson to compare relationships, or review letter coverage and tone before checking word count.
Plan all three task points, then draft at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. Public AI assessment is paused; the free workspace still provides the planner, timer and word count without an account. The rule-based demo is not an AI score.