Sample IELTS GT Task 1 letter: friend caring for house and pet — Sample IELTS GT Task 1 letter sample answers

Band 6.5

Prompt: A friend has agreed to look after your house and pet while you are on holiday. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: • give contact details for when you are away • give instructions about how to care for your pet • describe other household duties (Begin your letter 'Dear ...,'. Informal register.)

Dear Sarah,

Thank you so much for agreeing to look after my house and my cat while I am on holiday. I really appreciate it, and it makes me feel much more relaxed about going away.

First of all, let me give you my contact details. I will be travelling around Italy for two weeks. You can reach me on my mobile phone, which is 0788 456 123, and I will also check my email every day. If there is an emergency and you cannot contact me, please call my brother Tom on 0790 222 333.

Now let me tell you about my cat, Whiskers. Please feed him twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. His food is in the cupboard next to the fridge. He also needs fresh water every day. He likes to play in the garden, but please make sure he comes inside before it gets dark.

There are also a few other things to do in the house. Could you please water the plants in the living room every two days? Also, please take the rubbish out on Thursday morning, because that is collection day. Finally, it would be great if you could collect my post and put it on the kitchen table.

Thanks again for your help. I have left some snacks in the fridge for you, so please help yourself.

See you soon!

Best wishes, Emma

Band 8.0

Dear Sarah,

I honestly can't thank you enough for offering to look after the house and Whiskers while I'm away. Knowing they're both in such safe hands has taken a huge weight off my mind before the trip.

Just so you can reach me, I'll be travelling around Italy for a fortnight. The easiest way to get hold of me is my mobile on 0788 456 123, and I'll be checking my emails every evening too. If you can't get through for any reason and something urgent crops up, do give my brother Tom a ring on 0790 222 333 — he lives nearby and is always happy to help.

As for Whiskers, he's pretty easy-going. He just needs feeding twice a day, morning and evening; his food is in the cupboard beside the fridge, and please top up his water bowl daily. He loves pottering about in the garden, but do make sure he's safely indoors before dark, as he tends to wander otherwise.

There are only a couple of other bits to keep an eye on around the house. The living-room plants will need watering every other day, and Thursday is bin day, so if you could put the rubbish out that morning, that would be brilliant. It would also be a great help if you could gather up any post and leave it on the kitchen table.

I've left some treats in the fridge for you, so please do help yourself and make yourself at home.

Thanks a million — see you when I'm back!

Lots of love, Emma