Letter to a Friend Moving Abroad

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 friend's name, then a warm line responding to her news about moving to Canada.
2. Paragraph 2: say how you feel, including your happiness for her and your sadness at losing regular time together.
3. Paragraph 3: suggest two or three concrete ways to keep in touch after she leaves.
4. Paragraph 4: ask her to visit you before she leaves, proposing a specific weekend or a final meal together.
5. Closing: send your best wishes and sign off 'Love' or 'Best wishes'.

Points to cover

• Feelings: happiness for her new job, mixed with sadness at losing your weekly coffee dates.
• Keeping in touch: a weekly video call on Sundays, a shared photo album, or postcards sent from each place you visit.
• Time difference: choose call times that suit both of you, since Canada is several hours behind or ahead of your time zone.
• Visit: a weekend trip to the coast before she leaves, or a farewell dinner at your favourite restaurant.
• Shared memory: mention a holiday or a long walk you took together, so the letter feels personal.

Useful vocabulary

• I'm so happy for you, but I'm going to miss you: I'm so happy for you, but I'm going to miss you terribly.
• It's going to feel strange without: It's going to feel strange without our weekly coffee dates.
• We could do a video call every: We could do a video call every Sunday evening.
• send you a postcard: I'll send you a postcard from every city I visit.
• Would you be able to come and see me: Would you be able to come and see me before you go?
• Let's make the most of the time we have left: Let's make the most of the time we have left.
• the time difference: With the time difference, let's pick a time that works for both of us.
• I'm really going to miss: I'm really going to miss our long walks together.
• Keep me posted: It's a big step, so keep me posted on how it goes.

Common mistakes

• Saying only that you are happy for her, without naming how you feel about losing her.
• Suggesting ways to keep in touch that are vague, such as 'we'll talk sometimes'.
• Forgetting to ask her to visit you before she leaves, which is the third bullet point.
• Ending with a formal sign-off such as 'Yours faithfully', which does not suit a close friend.
• Listing plans in a businesslike way and losing the warm, personal tone.

Examiner tip: Tell her how you really feel in the first paragraph, then give two concrete ways to keep in touch and one clear request for a visit before she leaves.