IELTS General Writing Task 1: Thank-You Letter for Help (Band 9 Sample)
This General Training Task 1 asks you to write a warm, informal letter thanking a friend who helped you through a difficult time. A band-9 letter covers all three bullet points, sounds sincere and personal, and reads like a genuine thank-you. Below is a model letter of roughly 190 words, followed by why it scores 9 on all four criteria.
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01 · The task
A friend recently helped you through a difficult time. Write a letter to thank them. In your letter: explain what the difficult situation was, describe how your friend helped you, and say how you would like to thank them.
02 · Band 9 sample answer
191 words · Band 9Dear Hùng,
I've been meaning to write to you properly for weeks now, because I honestly don't think I ever thanked you enough for everything you did for me last month. You really were a lifesaver.
As you know, it was easily one of the hardest periods of my life. Losing my job so suddenly completely knocked the wind out of me, and for a while I felt utterly lost and, if I'm honest, a bit hopeless about the future.
What made all the difference was you. You checked in on me almost every day, you sat and listened for hours without ever making me feel like a burden, and you talked me round whenever I started to spiral. On top of all that, you put me in touch with someone who eventually helped me find my new job. I genuinely don't know how I'd have got through it without you.
To say thank you, I'd love to take you out for a proper meal, on me, at that place you love. Are you free next weekend?
With heartfelt thanks, Tâm
03 · Why this scores Band 9
All three bullet points are fully covered — the difficult situation (a sudden job loss and the low mood it caused), how the friend helped (checking in, listening, offering a useful contact), and how the writer wants to say thank you (a meal out next weekend). Each point is developed with warmth and specific detail.
The letter flows naturally — an opening of overdue thanks, the situation, the help, and the offer to repay it — one idea per paragraph. Cohesion is conversational — "As you know...", "What made all the difference was you...", "On top of all that..." — reading like a genuine, heartfelt message.
The vocabulary is warm and idiomatic — "a lifesaver", "knocked the wind out of me", "felt utterly lost", "talked me round", "make me feel like a burden" — exactly the sincere, informal language a heartfelt thank-you calls for.
A range of structures is used accurately: a present perfect opener ("I've been meaning to write to you properly"), a cleft ("What made all the difference was you"), and a mixed conditional ("I don't know how I'd have got through it without you"). Contractions match the informal register, and the letter is error-free.
04 · Useful collocations for this task
Tap a phrase to see what it means and how to use it. Natural collocations like these lift your Lexical Resource score.
05 · Frequently asked questions
What register should a thank-you letter to a friend use?
Warm and informal. Use contractions, a first-name greeting ("Dear Hùng") and an affectionate sign-off ("With heartfelt thanks"). Sincerity matters more than formality here, so let genuine feeling come through.
How specific should I be about the help?
Quite specific — this is the heart of the letter. Naming exactly what your friend did ("you sat and listened for hours", "you put me in touch with someone") covers the bullet point far better than a vague "you helped me a lot".
How do I say how I want to thank them?
Make a concrete offer rather than a vague promise. "I'd love to take you out for a meal, on me, next weekend" covers the bullet and sounds genuine, whereas "I'll thank you somehow" is too weak.
How long should the letter be?
At least 150 words; a band-9 letter is usually 170–200. This model is 191 words, enough to explain the situation, the help and the thanks warmly without padding.
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