You and your friend have planned a trip together. Write a letter to your friend to remind them about the trip. In your letter: - Remind them of the trip dates and destination. - Explain what they need to prepare. - Suggest a meeting point or time for departure.
Sample Response
I hope you’re as excited about the upcoming trip as I am! Just a quick reminder that we’re meeting at the train station this Friday at 8 a.m. sharp. Don’t forget to bring your ID and the train ticket!
As for packing, make sure to include comfortable clothes and hiking shoes—we’ll be exploring the mountains quite a bit. Don’t forget a jacket, as the weather can get chilly in the evenings. Also, I’ll be bringing snacks and a camera, so you don’t have to worry about those.
Let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like to bring along. I can’t wait to spend the weekend with you. It’s going to be an unforgettable adventure!
See you soon, Lucas
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Add an informal greeting Original: I hope Suggested revision: Hi [Name], I hope Why it matters: An informal greeting would make the opening clearly match a letter to a friend.
- 2. Clarify ticket ownership Original: the Suggested revision: your Why it matters: The possessive determiner makes it clear that your friend must bring their own ticket.
- 3. Use a concise collocation Original: clothes Suggested revision: clothing Why it matters: This more concise collocation suits a general packing instruction.
- 4. Sentence rewrite Original: Let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like to bring along. Suggested revision: Let me know if there’s anything else you think we should pack. Why it matters: The revision connects the request more directly to the preceding packing details.
- 5. Sentence rewrite Original: It’s going to be an unforgettable adventure! Suggested revision: It’s going to be a fantastic weekend! Why it matters: This wording sounds natural and avoids the rather formulaic phrase “unforgettable adventure.”
- 6. Name the destination Suggested revision: State the planned destination explicitly in the reminder. Why it matters: The task specifically requires the destination, but the opening mentions only the train station and mountains.
- 7. Give both trip dates Suggested revision: Add the exact departure date and return date. Why it matters: “This Friday” gives the departure day, but the required trip dates are not fully stated.
- 8. Develop useful trip details Suggested revision: Add about 30 relevant words explaining another essential preparation detail and any practical arrangement. Why it matters: The letter is below the expected minimum length, so the preparation information needs fuller development.
Suggested Rewrites
- I hope Hi [Name], I hope
- the your
- clothes clothing
- Let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like to bring along. Let me know if there’s anything else you think we should pack.
- It’s going to be an unforgettable adventure! It’s going to be a fantastic weekend!
- Name the destination State the planned destination explicitly in the reminder.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter is easy to follow, appropriately friendly, and uses accurate, varied language while covering preparation and departure arrangements clearly. Its main limitation is task achievement: at 121 words, it is substantially under length, and the destination and trip dates are only briefly identified. The highest priority is to add specific destination and schedule details, then develop the practical preparations and departure plan without losing the concise, natural tone.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose and all three bullet points are recognisable, but the response is 29 words short and gives only brief destination and date detail.
Add a precise destination and fuller schedule information, then extend the preparation and departure details beyond the minimum length.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response progresses logically through the trip reminder, preparation advice, and friendly closing, with well-managed paragraphing.
Strengthen the progression further by placing the date and destination together before moving to packing and departure arrangements.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and natural for an informal letter, including precise travel and weather language, with only minor repetition.
Broaden the travel vocabulary in a longer response so repeated phrases such as reminders and things to bring are expressed more flexibly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good range of simple and complex structures is used accurately, and punctuation remains well controlled throughout.
Maintain this accuracy in a longer response while using a wider range of clause structures for reminders and suggestions.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You and your friend have planned a trip together. Write a letter to your friend to remind them about the trip. In your letter:
- Remind them of the trip dates and destination.
- Explain what they need to prepare.
- Suggest a meeting point or time for departure.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.