You are trying to decide whether to accept a new opportunity, such as a job offer or a place to study. Write a letter to a family member asking for their advice.
This letter asks you to lay a real dilemma in front of a trusted relative, so it has to sound like you genuinely want their opinion, not just report the facts.
The question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You are trying to decide whether to accept a new opportunity, such as a job offer or a place to study. Write a letter to a family member asking for their advice.
In your letter,
explain the situation and the decision you have to make
describe the options you are considering
ask for their advice
You do not need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Aunt Leyla,
Write at least 150 words.
What this letter needs
The challenge here is presenting two options fairly and clearly without the letter turning into a dry pros-and-cons list. A strong answer explains the dilemma with real uncertainty, gives just enough detail on each option to make the choice understandable, and closes with a genuine, specific question that invites the family member to actually respond, rather than a vague request for 'advice'.
Structure
Salutation — Dear Aunt Leyla, — addressing a specific relative by name and title keeps the letter warm but appropriately respectful for family.
Opening — Open by stating clearly that you need advice and briefly naming the decision, so your relative understands the purpose immediately.
Body 1 — Explain the situation with enough context — what's being offered and the deadline — to make the dilemma feel real.
Body 2 — Lay out both options honestly, including a genuine downside to each, so the letter doesn't read as a decision already made.
Body 3 — Ask a specific question rather than a general one, so your relative has something concrete to respond to.
Closing — Close by showing that you value their opinion and will act on it, then sign off warmly and ask them to reply soon.
Model answers
Band 6.0 model answer
158 words
Dear Aunt Leyla,
I hope you and the family are doing well. I am writing because I need some advice about a big decision. I have been offered a job in Istanbul, but I am not sure if I should accept it or stay here in Baku.
There are two options I am thinking about. The first one is to take the job in Istanbul, which pays more money but means leaving my friends and family. The second option is to stay in my current job in Baku, where I feel comfortable but the salary is lower.
Since you always give me good advice, I would like to know what you think I should do. What would you choose if you were in my position? Do you think money is more important than being close to family?
I would really appreciate your opinion, because I trust you a lot. Please write back to me soon.
Best wishes, Orkhan
Why this is Band 6.0
Clearly explains the dilemma and both options, covering all three bullet points in order.
Uses simple, direct sentences like 'I am not sure if I should accept it or stay here in Baku.'
The request for advice is plainly stated: 'I would like to know what you think I should do.'
Band 7.0 model answer
189 words
Dear Aunt Leyla,
I hope you and everyone at home are keeping well. I'm writing because I could really use your advice — I've been offered a job in Istanbul, and I have to decide within the next two weeks whether to accept it or stay where I am in Baku.
There are really two options in front of me. Taking the Istanbul job would mean a much higher salary and a great career move, but it also means leaving behind everyone I love and starting completely from scratch in a new city. Staying in Baku, on the other hand, feels safe and familiar, even if the job itself isn't especially exciting anymore.
Since you've always been so wise about these things, I'd really value your opinion. What would you do in my position? Do you think it's worth sacrificing comfort for a better opportunity, or is being close to family something I shouldn't give up so easily?
I'd be so grateful for anything you can tell me, as I always trust your judgement more than my own. Please write back whenever you get a chance.
Best wishes, Orkhan
Why this is Band 7.0
Frames the dilemma with more nuance: 'even if the job itself isn't especially exciting anymore.'
Uses a wider range of natural phrasing, such as 'I could really use your advice.'
Poses a genuinely specific question: 'Do you think it's worth sacrificing comfort for a better opportunity?'
Sentence structures vary naturally between simple statements and longer, linked ideas.
Band 8.5 model answer
223 words
Dear Aunt Leyla,
I hope this letter finds you and everyone at home in good health. I'm turning to you because I'm facing a decision I can't quite make up my mind about — I've been offered a fantastic job in Istanbul, and I need to give my answer within two weeks, but something is still holding me back from saying yes straight away.
On one hand, the Istanbul role would mean a significant pay rise and the kind of career step I've dreamed about for years. On the other, it would mean leaving everyone I love behind and building a life from scratch in a city where I know almost no one. Staying in Baku feels safe and familiar, even though I'll admit the job here has started to feel a little too comfortable, if that makes sense.
You've always had a way of seeing things more clearly than I can, so I'd love to hear what you honestly think. Would you take the risk in my position, or is there something about staying close to family that's worth more than any salary?
Whatever you tell me, I know I'll take it seriously, because your judgement has never once let me down. Please write back whenever you have a moment — I'll be waiting eagerly to hear from you.
Best wishes, Orkhan
Why this is Band 8.5
Opens with real emotional honesty: 'something is still holding me back from saying yes straight away.'
Both options are developed with genuine reflection, including 'the job here has started to feel a little too comfortable, if that makes sense.'
Idiomatic phrasing throughout, such as 'You've always had a way of seeing things more clearly than I can.'
Closes with sincere trust: 'your judgement has never once let me down.'
Complex sentences are handled with no strain, e.g. 'is there something about staying close to family that's worth more than any salary?'
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.
This is a informal letter question. The answers above show you what each band looks like when it is finished. What they cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in twenty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the letter is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Answers checked here may be published on this page, without your name, to help other learners. Nothing else about you is stored.
Common questions
How much detail should I give about each option?
Enough for the choice to make sense — one clear advantage and one clear drawback per option is usually plenty for a 150-200 word letter.
Is it okay to sound genuinely unsure in this letter?
Yes — showing real uncertainty, such as 'something is still holding me back,' makes the request for advice sound authentic rather than like a formality.
Should I address an aunt or uncle differently from a friend?
A little — 'Dear Aunt Leyla,' keeps the respect appropriate for an older relative while the rest of the letter can still be warm and informal.
What's the best way to end this kind of letter?
Show that their advice genuinely matters to you and ask them to reply, rather than simply signing off — it makes the request feel real rather than rhetorical.
