Letter to a Cousin Recommending a Cycling Route

The question

How to approach this informal letter question

An informal letter goes to a friend or relative. Write naturally, with a personal tone, while still covering every bullet point.

1. Start with "Dear [first name]," and a friendly line.
2. Cover each bullet point with personal detail and feelings.
3. Use contractions and everyday expressions, but keep your grammar accurate.
4. Close with "Best wishes," or "Love," and your first name.

How to plan this answer

Structure

1. Opening: 'Dear' and your cousin's name, then an enthusiastic line about their visit to your city next month.
2. Paragraph 2: describe the route, saying where it starts, where it finishes and roughly how long it takes.
3. Paragraph 3: suggest two places to stop and explain why each one is worth visiting.
4. Paragraph 4: recommend the best time of year to ride it and list the things they should bring.
5. Closing: say you look forward to riding it together, and sign off 'Love' or 'See you soon'.

Points to cover

• Route: starts at the railway station, follows the river path, and finishes at the marina, taking about an hour and a half.
• Stop one: a riverside café with a view of the old weir, a good place for a break.
• Stop two: the covered market hall, where local food stalls sell cheese, bread and fresh produce.
• Best time: late spring or early autumn, when the path is dry and the weather is mild, avoiding crowded summer weekends.
• Bring: a helmet, water, a waterproof jacket and a lock, plus a small repair kit in case of a puncture.

Useful vocabulary

• You've got to try: You've got to try the riverside route, it's brilliant.
• It starts at: It starts at the railway station and finishes at the marina.
• stop off at: Stop off at the café by the weir for a coffee.
• well worth a visit: The covered market is well worth a visit, especially on Saturdays.
• the best time to go: The best time to go is late spring, when the weather is mild.
• pack: Pack a waterproof, just in case the weather changes.
• flat, paved path: It is mostly flat, with a smooth, paved surface all the way along.
• keep an eye out for: Keep an eye out for the herons along the water.
• I'll meet you at: I'll meet you at the station at nine, so we can set off together.

Common mistakes

• Describing the route without giving both the start and finish, so your cousin cannot follow it.
• Listing items to bring without explaining why each is useful.
• Recommending a time with no justification, such as 'any time is good', instead of a season and a reason.
• Using an overly formal tone, such as 'I would strongly recommend', in a friendly letter.
• Naming two stops without explaining why each one is worth visiting.

Examiner tip: Describe the route from start to finish in order, then add why each stop matters, so your cousin can follow the ride easily on the day.