Sample response & feedback

Advice to a Friend on a First Camping Holiday

Question

View question5 sample responses · Bands 7.0–8.0

A friend of yours is thinking of going on a camping holiday for the first time this summer. He/She has asked for your advice. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter explain why you think your friend would enjoy a camping holiday describe some possible disadvantages say whether you would like to go camping with your friend this summer You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear …………………… ,

Annotated response

8 correction notes

Dear Anmol,

I can't express how thrilled I truly am to hear that you’re considering going on a camping holiday this summer! It’s an experience like no other!

Camping allows us to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of our daily life and immerse ourselves in nature, live in a busy city. Waking up to the sound of birds, enjoying a campfire under the stars, and exploring scenic landscapes can be incredibly refreshing and rewarding and I believe you will enjoy it all.

However, there are some potential downsides to consider. The weather can be unpredictable, so you’ll need to be prepared for rain or chilly nights. Also, sleeping in a tent might not be as comfortable as a hotel room, especially if you’re not used to it. And let’s not forget about insects - you’ll definitely want to pack some bug spray!

That being said, I'd absolutely love to join you on this adventure! It would be great fun to explore the outdoors together, and I could help you with some of the basics since I’ve been camping before.

Let me know your plans, and we can start organizing the trip!

Warm wishes,

Erin

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 8.0

The letter fully achieves its communicative purpose, covering all three bullet points with a warm, natural tone and well-chosen detail. Its strongest aspect is fluent, precise language with flexible sentence structures, while the main limitation is simply that ideas could be developed with slightly more specific detail.

IELTS criteria

How each score was decided

TA Task Achievement

8.0

All three bullet points are directly and fully covered with relevant, well-developed detail, a consistently friendly register, and a clear closing purpose.

CC Coherence and Cohesion

8.0

Ideas progress logically across cohesive paragraphs with a good range of linking devices such as 'However' and 'That being said', used naturally throughout.

LR Lexical Resource

8.0

Vocabulary is flexible and precise, with natural expressions such as 'hustle and bustle', 'unpredictable', and 'immerse ourselves in nature'.

GRA Grammatical Range and Accuracy

8.0

A wide range of sentence structures is used accurately, including complex and compound forms, with only very rare minor slips.

More responses with feedback

View all 5 responses (7.0–8.0)