Here you can find IELTS Letter samples of Band 9, written by a native English speaker and a former IELTS examiner. Robert Nicholson is the co-author of ‘High Scorer’s Choice’ IELTS Practice Tests book series, created in collaboration with Simone Braverman, the founder of this website.
New letters are being added weekly. Last updated: February 9, 2021
This is a model response to a Writing Task 1 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.
Set 1 General Training book, Practice Test 2
Writing Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
A friend of yours recently gave you a nice birthday present.
Write a letter to your friend. In your letter,
– thank her for the present and say why you particularly like it
– describe some other presents that you received
– explain some of the things you did on your birthday.
You should write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sarah,
Sample Band 9 Letter
Dear Sarah,
Now that the weekend of my birthday party is over and you have hopefully arrived home safely, I just wanted to let you know again how much your birthday present means to me. I don’t think I’ve ever received something quite as original as this lovely, hand-made photo album with photos and notes reminding me of our childhood. I think that these memories have helped us stick together and I hope that, although we live a long way apart now, I can add to this album every year when we see each other. With the stationery collection that my mother gave me and the calligraphy set I got from my dad, I can easily continue to add to this work of art!
It’s sad that you could only be there for the party and not for my actual birthday. I went canoeing with my parents and my sister at Barley Creek, the lovely lake resort that we often used to go to when we were young. Do you remember the tall trees and the calm atmosphere there? Well, everything is still as it used to be. Even the castle restaurant is still there, where I topped the day off with a fancy dinner. What a memorable day it was!
I hope you can be there next time.
Lots of love,
Amanda
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Thanks to the good memory of A.R. we are sharing his questions from a recent IELTS Speaking test in India:
Speaking test
Part 1 (Interview)
– What is your full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Where do you live?
– Describe the house you live in now.
– What does your house look like?
– What can you see from your window?
– Let’s talk about happiness.
– What things make you happy?
– Have you done anything recently that made your family or someone else happy?
– Do you think we should only experience joy all the time?
– Do you prefer several short breaks or one long break?
– What do you do on your break?
– Do you sleep during breaks?
– Would you like to earn money without going to work?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Talk about something you bought that you were pleased with. Please say
– What it was
– Where and why you bought it
– How you feel about it now.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– Do you often buy things that you don’t need later?
– In what situations can you bargain?
– How should people decide on buying what they need?
– Do you think marketing plays a role in buying branded products?
Thanks to the lovely G.S. from Nepal we are sharing the most recent IELTS questions she sent:
Listening test
Part 1. A conversion between a gym receptionist and a customer.
Part 2. A tour guide was explaining about the Turtle Beach resort. We were given a map of the resort.
Part 3. Don’t remember.
Part 4. A lecture on hearing aids.
Reading test
Passage 1. A text about a certain beach in Australia, it’s significance and historical value.
Passage 2. A passage about CSR.
Passage 3. A passage about the mind.
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
We were given 3 pie charts showing the hours worked by employees, owner/managers and companies. The data in the diagram was, part time work hours, full time work hours and overtime hours worked by employees and owner/managers.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Some people think that parents should teach their children about the importance of recycling, while others think it should be taught in school. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Speaking test
Part 1 (Interview)
– What’s you full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Do you live in a house or an apartment?
– What is it like?
– What do you see from the window of your room?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Describe a time when it was difficult for you to use a computer. Please say
– When it was
– Why it was difficult
– Who helped you to use a computer
– And explain what you did on the computer.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– Is the use of robots good or bad for the society?
– Have computers made our life easier or more complex?
– Should parents limit the time their children use the computer for?
– What are the effects of computer use on creativity?
– How has the advancement of technology affected humans?
– How will it affect people in the future?
