Write a letter to your friend who lives in another town, and invite him/her to a party you are going to organise. In your letter explain: - Why you are having this party - Who are expected to be present at the party - Give directions on how to get there.

Same questionCompare 3 different answers (Band 7–8)

Sample Response

1

Dear Alex,

2

I hope this letter finds you doing wellbasking in the warm embrace of life’s greatest joys and adventures. I’d love to invite youIt is with immense pleasure that I extend an invitation to you for a momentous occasion – the celebration of my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary.

3

This milestone is a testament to the enduring love and commitment that my parents have shared throughout the years, through good times and difficult onesweathering storms and cherishing every moment together. Their journey is an inspiration to us all, and it would be an honor to have you present as we celebrate their lasting relationshippay tribute to their unwavering bond.

4

The party will take placeThe celebration is set to take place on the 15th of June at our family’s ancestral home in the countryside. It promises to be a heartwarming affair, filled with laughter, cherished memories, and time with our closest friends and familythe coming together of our closest friends and loved ones.

5

To reach the venue, take the scenic route along the winding country roads, following the signs for Oakwood Village. Once you arrive, you’ll be greeted by the quaint charm of our family estate, nestled amidst rolling hills and verdant landscapes. Parking will be available on-site.

6

It would be wonderful to have you thereYour presence would add immeasurable joy to this momentous occasion. Let me know if you can comeI eagerly await your response and look forward to sharing this celebration with you.

7

With warmest regards,

8

Amy Stone

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 8.0

The letter is exceptionally fluent and well organised, with a clear invitation, a fully explained reason for the celebration, and polished language throughout. Its main weakness is practical task fulfilment: the guest description is broad, the directions lack a useful starting point or road names, and the ornate register feels unusually formal for a friend. Prioritise concrete travel details and a warmer, more natural personal tone.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TA

Task Achievement

7.0
Scoring rule

The invitation and celebration reason are fully clear, but the expected guests and route are described in fairly general terms and the tone is overly ceremonial for a friend.

Next step

Name the main groups of attendees, provide usable directions from the friend’s town, and adopt a more naturally informal register.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

8.0
Scoring rule

Information is sequenced smoothly in focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader without disrupting the flow.

Next step

Keep the same clear progression while making the directions paragraph more practically sequenced from departure point to destination.

LR

Lexical Resource

8.0
Scoring rule

A wide and precise vocabulary conveys warmth and occasion effectively, though some highly ornate phrasing sounds less natural in a personal letter.

Next step

Use simpler conversational expressions in the greeting and invitation while retaining precise vocabulary for the event and route.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

8.0
Scoring rule

Complex sentence forms are handled accurately and flexibly, with strong control of punctuation and virtually no disruptive errors.

Next step

Preserve this accuracy while varying sentence length slightly to make the personal message sound more spontaneous.

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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1

Write a letter to your friend who lives in another town, and invite him/her to a party you are going to organise. In your letter explain:

- Why you are having this party

- Who are expected to be present at the party

- Give directions on how to get there.

Your response

Words0
20:00

Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.