General Task 1BeginnerBand 5.5–6.0

Informal Letter Template

Basic, friendly language focusing on explicitly answering the three bullet points one by one without complex linking.

Paragraph Structure

Step-by-step breakdown

Salutation & Opening

Dear Name, I hope you are doing well. I am writing to tell you some good news.

Start with a simple, friendly greeting before stating the purpose of the letter.

Point 1 (Answering Bullet 1)

First, I want to say Information. It was very Adjective and I liked it a lot.

Directly address the first prompt requirement. Tell a short story.

Point 2 (Answering Bullet 2)

Also, I want to ask you if you can Request. Please let me know if you are free.

Directly address the second prompt requirement. Ask a simple question.

Point 3 & Closing (Answering Bullet 3)

Finally, come and visit me soon! I miss you. Talk to you later. Best wishes, Your Name

Address the final point, then use an informal sign-off ('Best wishes', 'Talk soon').

High-Scoring Vocabulary

Plug-and-play phrases

I hope you are doing well.

I am writing to tell you some good news.

First, I want to say...

It was very... and I liked it a lot.

Also, I want to ask you if you can...

Please let me know if you are free.

Finally, come and visit me soon!

Talk to you later.

Sample Answer

Model Band 9.0 Response

Band 9.0

Dear Sarah, I hope you are doing well. I am writing to tell you some good news because I just moved into a new apartment! First, I want to tell you about the place. It is very big and bright. It has a large balcony with a nice view of the park. I really love sitting out there in the mornings with my coffee. Also, I want to ask you if you can come visit me next weekend. We can cook dinner together and watch a movie in the new living room. Please let me know if you are free on Saturday. Finally, I need to buy some new plants for the balcony. I know you are good at gardening, so maybe you can help me pick some? Talk to you later, Emma

Common Mistakes

Traps to avoid

Using formal language with a friend

Writing 'Dear Sir' or 'I am writing to inform you' to your best friend sounds completely unnatural and lowers your Tone score.

Fix: Use contractions (I'm, can't, won't) and friendly openers ('Hope you're doing well').

Forgetting to sign your name

It's a letter, so it must follow letter conventions.

Fix: Always end with an appropriate sign-off and a name (you can make up the name).

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