Letter

Band 7+: You recently ordered a book online, but it was delayed and arrived in poor condition. Write a letter to the online bookstore. In your letter: Describe the book you ordered Explain the problems with the delivery Say what you would like the company to do

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Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with your online bookstore. The book I ordered on your website arrived quite late and was already damaged.

To begin with, I placed an online order for the first edition of the book “Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone” four weeks ago, and I even paid an additional charge for expedited delivery within seven calendar days. However, I received my order only two days ago, meaning it almost took a month for my book to arrive. In addition to that, the book’s condition is quite devastating. It seems that the cover was exposed to water or any other liquid, I suppose. Furthermore, I found out that some pages are missing, and there is someone’s handwriting on some pages. Honestly speaking, I am absolutely shocked by the mentioned facts.

Therefore, I would be grateful if you could send me a replacement at your earliest convenience. Moreover, I would like to receive a partial refund for my expedited delivery since it never occurred initially. I firmly believe that it is a fair request.

Thank you for considering my request in advance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Kairbay Tumanov

Word Count: 208

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Overall Band Score

7.5

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
B2 - Upper Intermediate
Opt for even more advanced words when appropriate.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:
No noticeable repetition! Great job!

Task Response

The letter fully addresses all parts of the task. The candidate provides a clear description of the book, a detailed explanation of both the delivery delay and the physical damage, and a specific request for resolution (replacement and partial refund). The tone is appropriately formal and the progression of ideas is logical. No improvements are necessary as the requirements of the task are fully satisfied.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter is very well-organized, with a clear progression of ideas. You have used cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In addition to that', and 'Furthermore' effectively to guide the reader through your points. To reach a higher level, try to vary these transitions more naturally so they do not feel like a list of connectors, and ensure that the transition between the description of the problem and the requested solution feels even more seamless.

Lexical Resource

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal complaint, such as 'dissatisfaction', 'expedited delivery', and 'at your earliest convenience'. However, some word choices are slightly unnatural. For example, describing the condition of a book as 'devastating' is usually reserved for emotional news or disasters; 'appalling' or 'unacceptable' would be more appropriate for a physical object. Additionally, 'since it never occurred initially' is a bit awkward; 'since the service was not provided as promised' would be more precise.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The grammatical range is strong, featuring a mix of complex and compound sentences. Most sentences are error-free. There is a minor comma splice error: 'It seems that the cover was exposed to water or any other liquid, I suppose.' This should be two separate sentences or joined with a conjunction. Additionally, ensure that your use of articles is consistent. Overall, the grammar is highly functional and does not impede communication.

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Band 7+: You recently ordered a book online, but it was delayed and arrived in poor condition. Write a letter to the online bookstore. In your letter: Describe the book you ordered Explain the problems with the delivery Say what you would like the company to do

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Generate A Band-9 Sample Answer?

Overall Band Score

Task Response

Coherence & Cohesion

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Answers On The Same Topic:

You recently ordered a book online, but it was delayed and arrived in poor condition. Write a letter to the online bookstore. In your letter: Describe the book you ordered Explain the problems with the delivery Say what you would like the company to do

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Overall Band Score

Task Response

Coherence & Cohesion

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

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