Write About a Recent Trip A2 Writing Practice Tests Rules & Examples

How to Write About a Recent Trip in English

When we travel somewhere new — a city, a beach, a country, or even a local town — we often want to share the experience with friends and family. Writing about a recent trip is a very common and useful real-life writing task. You might write a short email to a friend, a message on social media, or even a holiday postcard.

In this lesson, you will learn how to describe a recent trip clearly and naturally in English. You will practise using past simple verbs, useful linking words, and the correct layout for an informal email or message. By the end, you will be able to write 60–90 words about your own trip in a confident and organised way.

Real-life examples of when you write about a trip:

• An informal email to a friend describing your holiday
• A short message to a family member after a weekend away
• A holiday postcard from another city or country
• A short post or note describing a day trip

Essential Writing Rules and Sentence Structure

1. Organise Your Writing into Clear Paragraphs

A good piece of writing about a trip follows a simple structure. Divide your writing into 2–3 short paragraphs, each with a clear purpose:

• Paragraph 1 — Greeting and introduction: Say hello and mention the trip you want to write about.
• Paragraph 2 — Key details: Describe what you did, where you went, and how you felt. Use past simple verbs.
• Paragraph 3 — Closing: Add a final thought, ask a question, or suggest meeting soon.

2. Use Past Simple to Describe What Happened

Because you are writing about something that already happened, you must use the past simple tense. Study these common regular and irregular past simple verbs for describing trips:

3. Use Commas Correctly with Time Clauses

When you begin a sentence with a time word such as when, before, or after, you must put a comma after the introductory clause:

• Correct: When we arrived, the hotel was very clean and comfortable.
• Correct: Before we left, we had breakfast at a café by the sea.
• Correct: After we visited the museum, we went for lunch in the old town.

However, if the time clause comes at the end of the sentence, no comma is needed:

• Correct: We had breakfast at a café before we left.
• Correct: We went for lunch after we visited the museum.

4. Connect Your Sentences with Linking Words

Good writers do not write a list of short, separate sentences. Instead, they connect ideas using linking words. At A2 level, use words like because, so, but, although, then, and also to make your writing flow naturally.

Useful Linking Words (Connectors)

Study this table of A2 linking words. Each one has a different job in a sentence:

Model Writing Sample: Email to a Friend About a Recent Trip

Read this complete, realistic model email written at A2 level. Notice how it is organised and how the writer uses past simple verbs and linking words.

--- Model Text ---

Hi Sophie,

How are you? I'm writing to tell you about my trip to Edinburgh last weekend. I went with my sister and we had an amazing time!

We stayed in a cosy hotel near the city centre. On Saturday, we visited Edinburgh Castle and it was absolutely incredible. Although the weather was cold, we walked around the old town and took lots of photos. Then we found a lovely little café and had some hot soup. We also bought some souvenirs before we left.

I really recommend a visit because the city is beautiful. Would you like to go together sometime?

Love,
Clara

--- End of Model Text ---

Word count: 89 words

Model Text Breakdown

Second Model Text: Short Holiday Postcard

Here is a shorter model text — a postcard. This is a good example for practising very concise, informal writing.

--- Model Text ---

Hi Mark!

Greetings from Rome! I arrived two days ago and I'm having a wonderful time. Yesterday, I visited the Colosseum and it was breathtaking. The food here is incredible — I ate the best pasta of my life! Although my feet are very tired, I don't want to go home. I also bought a small gift for you. See you next week!

All the best,
Priya

--- End of Model Text ---

Word count: 73 words

Key Phrases and Sentence Starters

Use these ready-made phrases to help you write your own email or postcard about a recent trip. Adapt them using your own details.

Greetings

• Hi [Name],
• Hello [Name],
• Dear [Name],

Opening Lines and Reason for Writing

• How are you? I hope you're well!
• I'm writing to tell you about my recent trip to [place].
• I just got back from [place] and I had to write to you!
• Greetings from [place]! I'm having an amazing time.
• I wanted to share some news — I went to [place] last [weekend / week / month]!

Giving Key Details and Explanations

• I went to [place] with [person / my family / my friends].
• We stayed in a [hotel / hostel / small apartment] near [the city centre / the beach / the old town].
• We visited [place] and it was [amazing / beautiful / breathtaking / fascinating].
• On [day], we went to [place] and we [saw / ate / walked / bought]...
• Although the weather was [cold / rainy / cloudy], we still had a great time.
• The food was incredible because [give a reason].
• I really loved [place / activity] because [give a reason].
• It was very [hot / busy / crowded], so we decided to [action].
• Before we left, we [action].
• After we visited [place], we [action].
• When we arrived, [describe the scene].

Ending Your Message and Sign-offs

• I really recommend a visit because [reason].
• I think you would love it there!
• Would you like to go there together someday?
• Let me know when you are free — I'd love to tell you more!
• I can't wait to show you my photos!
• Hope to see you very soon!
• Best wishes, / All the best, / Love, / See you soon, / Take care,
• [Your name]

Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid

Study these four common mistakes that A2 learners make when writing about a trip. Make sure you do not make the same errors in your own writing.

Mistake 1: Confusing 'because' and 'so'

❌ I loved the trip so the weather was beautiful.
✅ I loved the trip because the weather was beautiful.
Use because to give a reason. Use so to give a result. The weather was the reason I loved the trip, so we need 'because' here.

❌ It was very hot because we went swimming.
✅ It was very hot, so we went swimming.
Going swimming was the result of the hot weather. Use so for results. Notice the comma before 'so'.

Mistake 2: Missing a comma after an introductory time clause

❌ When we arrived the hotel was very noisy.
✅ When we arrived, the hotel was very noisy.
When a sentence starts with a time clause (When..., Before..., After..., Although...), always put a comma after that clause before the main part of the sentence.

Mistake 3: Using the wrong past simple form

❌ We goed to the museum and we seed a lot of interesting things.
✅ We went to the museum and we saw a lot of interesting things.
'Go' and 'see' are irregular verbs. Their past simple forms are went and saw. Never add '-ed' to an irregular verb.

Mistake 4: Writing a run-on sentence without a connector

❌ The food was delicious we ate at a small restaurant near the beach it was very cheap.
✅ The food was delicious. We ate at a small restaurant near the beach, and it was very cheap.
Do not join many ideas together without a connector or a full stop. Break your ideas into clear sentences and use linking words like and, but, or so to connect them.

Writing Checklist and Practice Task

Writing Checklist

Before you submit your writing, go through this checklist. Tick each box when you are sure it is correct:

• ✅ Did you include a friendly, informal greeting (e.g. Hi Sam,)?
• ✅ Did you write a clear opening sentence that mentions your trip (where and when)?
• ✅ Did you use past simple verbs correctly (e.g. went, visited, stayed, ate, saw)?
• ✅ Did you use at least two linking words (e.g. because, so, although, when, then, also)?
• ✅ Did you put a comma after introductory time clauses (e.g. When we arrived,...)?
• ✅ Did you describe at least two specific details (a place you visited, food you ate, something you bought)?
• ✅ Did you write a friendly closing sentence or question (e.g. Would you like to go there?)?
• ✅ Did you use an appropriate informal sign-off (e.g. Love, / Best wishes, / All the best,) followed by your name?
• ✅ Is your text between 60 and 90 words?

Your Practice Task

Read the task carefully and write your response. Try to use the model texts, key phrases, and linking words from this lesson to help you.

Writing Task:

You recently visited a city, town, or place that you really enjoyed. Write an informal email to an English-speaking friend telling them about your trip.

In your email, you should:

• Say where you went and when
• Describe what you did there (at least two activities)
• Explain why you liked it
• Ask your friend a question at the end

Write 60–90 words. Use the checklist above to review your email before you finish.

Now test your writing mechanics and sentence skills in the exercises below.