A Friend has Agreed to Look After Your House - IELTS General Writing Task 1 Informal Letter

Practising informal letter topics from IELTS General Writing practice tests can be extremely beneficial for developing effective written communication skills for everyday situations.

The topic “A Friend has Agreed to Look After your House” provides an excellent opportunity to organise thoughts logically, use an appropriate tone, and enhance interpersonal communication abilities. By framing responses to such prompts, candidates can not only master the art of letter writing but also gain confidence in expressing themselves clearly and persuasively in informal contexts. 

Tackling diverse scenarios encourages the development of a well-rounded skill set essential for successful communication in various real-life situations, as well as in the IELTS General Writing Task 1. So, let us begin!

Question

A friend has agreed to look after your house and pet while you are on holiday. Write a letter to your friend.

You should write at least 150 words.

Structural Breakdown

Letter Type: Informal Letter

Check Out: How to Write An Informal Letter?

Band 8 Sample Answer - A Friend has Agreed to Look After your House

Dear Sasha,

I hope you’re doing well. Thank you so very much for agreeing to look after my home and my pet while I’m on vacation in Italy. I really do appreciate your help! 

While I’m away, you can call me anytime on my phone number at +44 7712 567324. I’ll also be checking my email notifications and WhatsApp regularly, so feel free to write to me at alex644@gmail.com. In case of any emergency, my brother Shri lives nearby and his number is written on the kitchen fridge.

As for my pet, Sweety, she needs to be fed thrice a day, once in the morning around 7 a.m, afternoon about 3 p.m and again at around 8 p.m. Her food is kept in the red container in the store room. Please also make sure she has tap water at all times. She loves going for a short walk during the evenings, and her leash is hanging behind the back door.

Regarding the house, could you just collect the mail every day and also water the plants in the living room every three days? The trash bins are collected on Saturday morning, so please put them outside on Friday night. Lastly, remember to lock all windows and doors when you step out.

Thanks again for your love. I surely owe you one!

Best wishes,

Rathik.

Band 9 Sample Answer - A Friend has Agreed to Look After your House

Dear George,

I hope everything is delightful at your end. I’m writing this letter to tell you that I’m finally going on a long due holiday, something which you kept on insisting on me for. However, I’ll be requesting help from you. I want you to come over to my house and stay for a week here, as there is nobody else I can blindly trust.

I know you’ll be the best in terms of caring for my home and my cat, your favourite Sushi. Sushi, as you know, won’t be an easy nut to crack open. Being overly sensitive, she requires a calm temperament. Also, she needs to be fed with the Ozuka cat food five times a day and needs to be taken for a stroll every morning.

You can contact me at my number, 502-342-4554. The domestic help shall take care of the household chores. Ensure that the house is latched at night for security reasons.

Much love,
Prakhar.

To conclude, exploring different types of letters will not only allow you to learn the exact format for each of them, but will also improve your confidence for your test day and real life. Regular practice is necessary to understand the exam setting and find out the areas of improvement, and help you work towards them. This would help you achieve band 8+ by incorporating the appropriate strategies and learning How to End an Informal Letter to a Friend!

Additional Resources

• How to End an Informal Letter to a Friend? – IELTS Writing Task 1
• IELTS General Writing Task 1 Samples
• How to Write an IELTS Informal Letter?