WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. You have just spent a weekend at a friend's house. When you returned home, you discovered that you had left a coat there. There are some important belongings in the pockets. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter explain that you have left the coat there say what the coat looks like, where you think you left it and what was in the pockets make some suggestions about how to get all of your belongings back You should write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Pat,

Dear Pat, I've just arrived back home after a fantastic weekend at yours – again, many thanks! It was great to see you and hope that you will come to mine sometime soon too. Unfortunately, today's chilly weather got me
to
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panicking as I couldn'
t
find my coat anywhere! I
then
realised I must have left it at yours stupidly. I'm
such
an idiot! I'm really sorry, but could you check for it? It's a raincoat and I didn'
t
actually wear it at all when I was at yours, which is why I guess I forgot all about it. It's a blue waist-length anorak I was going to wear if we went hiking like we planned before the cold weather arrived. Apart from a land map and compass which I use for local walks, there's nothing in the pockets I vitally need. It's probably in your spare room, maybe under the bed. I'm really sorry to ask
this
, but could you possibly post it
up
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to me? Don'
t
worry I'll repay you with a beer when we next meet up. It's pretty urgent as I don'
t
want to have to get another coat just to go walking.
Otherwise
, I reckon my mum will be in the area next week so she could come and pick it up from yours. Let me know which you prefer. Anyway, sorry to ask that of you. I had a great weekend and look forward to the next time we get together,
hopefuly
Correct your spelling
hopefully
with fewer misplaced personal possessions. All the best, Mark
Submitted by namitabhoj1610 on

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task achievement
Consider including a brief description of why retrieving the coat is urgent to emphasize the importance.
coherence cohesion
Although the tone is friendly and conversational, ensure that all details are clearly articulated to eliminate any potential confusion.
task achievement
The letter maintains a friendly and suitable tone throughout, which is appropriate given the context of writing to a friend.
coherence cohesion
The structure is logical and easy to follow, with clear paragraphs for different aspects of the message.
coherence cohesion
The greeting and closing are appropriately used, enhancing the friendly tone of the letter.

Word Count

IELTS says that you should write a minimum of 150 words in writing task 1. If you go under word count you will lose marks in task response.

A very long letter will not give you a higher band score.

Aim for between 160 to 190 words in writing task 1. This will ensure a concise letter and will be realistic in terms of time management. You have only 20 minutes to write the letter and you need around 5 minutes of planning time, so you will not be able to write a long letter in 15 minutes.

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