Writing · Task 1 · General Training

IELTS Writing Task 1 band 8 sample: Housewarming invitation

A 189-word band 8 model answer. Read the question first and plan your own response before you look at the answer.

Task
Writing Task 1
Module
General Training
Type
Letter
Length
189 words
Level
Band 8 model answer
The question

You have just moved into a new apartment and want to invite a friend to see it.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
- tell them about your new apartment
- invite them to a small housewarming party
- give them directions or details about how to get there

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to include your own address.

Band 8 model answer · 189 words

Dear Hannah,

I hope you are well! I finally have the keys to my new flat on Calder Street, and I am thrilled with it. It is a bright two-bedroom place on the third floor, with a small balcony that catches the afternoon sun and a kitchen big enough to cook in. The previous owner left an old oak table, which I have already claimed for the living room.

Now that the boxes are unpacked, I would love to celebrate with a small housewarming party on Saturday 14 June, from 6.00 p.m. onwards. It will be a relaxed evening with a few friends, and a bottle of something bubbly would be very welcome!

Getting here is straightforward. The nearest station is Ashworth Park, a five-minute walk away, and the number 22 bus stops directly outside. My building has a blue door beside the bakery, and the buzzer for flat 3B is marked with my surname, Morgan. Parking is limited, so the train is best.

Please let me know by Friday if you can come, so I can plan the food. I hope to see you there!

Best wishes,

Chloe

Why this scores band 8

The letter covers all three bullet points in a warm, natural voice: the flat, the invitation with a specific date and time, and practical directions. The directions are genuinely useful, with details like the blue door beside the bakery and the advice about parking. Grammar is controlled and varied, using structures such as 'Now that the boxes are unpacked' and 'so I can plan the food', and the informal register is consistent throughout.

See every criterion in IELTS Writing band descriptors explained.

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