You are planning a holiday in another country and would like a friend to accompany you. Write a letter to the friend asking him/her to join you. In your letter explain: - why you are taking a holiday - what your holiday plan is - why you would like him/her to go with you
Sample Response
Dear Robin, It’s been a while since I heard from youI haven’t heard from you in a while, and I hope everything is well with youso I hope that everything is well with you. You'd be excited to hear that I'm going to visit Germany to enjoy a surprise holiday at the beginning of next monthat the beginning of the next month, and I want you to go with me because I know how you've always liked a country like Germany for managing to rise like a phoenix from the rubble of the most devastating war in human history. I am taking this one-week holiday because my company has granted me leavegranted me a leave after I completedrecently for completing a difficult project well ahead of its deadlineway ahead of its delivery date. I chose Germany as the destination because of its extraordinary beauty and distinctive culture. As for our holiday plansNow, as for the holiday plans, we'll stay in the beautiful city of Cologne where we will visit some of the oldest universities in Europe and one of the largest and most beautifully built cathedralsCathedrals. After that, we'll head to the Rhine Valley, whichRhine Valley which arguably has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the whole of Germanyin entire Germany. Then,Then, of course, we'll enjoy a relaxing cruisethe gentle cruise onin the Rhine River while looking at the charming riverside townstown. Finally, beautiful castles are something we should not misssomething which we should never want to miss. So, let me know what you think about my plans. Warm wishes, Thomas
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter fully addresses the invitation, reason for the holiday, and itinerary, while its warm voice and specific travel details make the message engaging and convincing. Its main limitation is occasional wordiness and several unnatural collocations, particularly in the opening and travel descriptions. Prioritise shorter sentences and more idiomatic phrasing so the clear ideas sound consistently natural and polished.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear, all three bullet points are fully covered, and the friendly tone suits a letter to a close friend.
Make the personal reason for wanting Robin specifically as a companion slightly more direct and concise.
Coherence and Cohesion
The ideas follow a clear sequence from the invitation and reason to the itinerary, supported by appropriate linking expressions.
Divide the body into purposeful paragraphs and shorten the long opening sentence to improve readability.
Lexical Resource
A varied vocabulary conveys enthusiasm and describes the destination vividly, although several collocations sound unnatural.
Use more idiomatic combinations such as a cruise on the Rhine and landscapes in the whole of Germany.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good range of complex structures is used with generally secure control, and the few errors do not impede meaning.
Refine article and preposition choices, especially in phrases such as the beginning of next month and the whole of Germany.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You are planning a holiday in another country and would like a friend to accompany you. Write a letter to the friend asking him/her to join you. In your letter explain:
- why you are taking a holiday
- what your holiday plan is
- why you would like him/her to go with you
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.