Letter

Band 7+: You have lost an item of value on a train. Write a letter ot the railway company. In your letter: 1. describe the item 2. explain where and when you left it 3. say what action you would like the company to take

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Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to inform you that I lost my international passport on one of your trains that I boarded to Ibadan last week from Lagos, with plate number 123WE.

The passport is green in colour with an inscription of the word Nigeria in black colour. The inside has my full name Michael Anointing and date of birth, 12th December 1999.

I was sitted in the third row from the entrance, by the left side of the train. I remember quite vividly that I brought the passport out to check for the expiry date, because I overheard two women discussing that it will be checked by the millitary men as soon as we got to our destination. I believe it must have dropped on the floor when I wanted to put it back in my back pocket.

Please I would appreciate it if you could let me know what steps I need to follow to recover it. Wether I should go back to the train station, or you have where lost items are being kept if seen. Thank you as I anticipate your response on this matter.

Yours fauthfully,

Anointing Michael

Word Count: 202

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Overall Band Score

7.5

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
A2 - Upper Beginner
Consider using more varied and advanced words.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:

passport: 3

Try using synonyms for the above words

Task Response

The letter effectively addresses all three bullet points: it describes the lost item (a green Nigerian passport with specific details), explains where and when it was lost (on a train from Lagos to Ibadan, with seat location and time frame), and asks for steps to recover it. The tone is polite and appropriate. However, there are minor lapses: the train plate number is mentioned but not typically used for trains (more common for vehicles), and the spelling of 'sitted' should be 'sitting', 'millitary' should be 'military', 'Wether' should be 'Whether', and 'f authfully' should be 'faithfully'. To improve, ensure correct spelling and use standard train identification (e.g., train number or route).

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter is well-structured and easy to follow. The paragraphs are logically organized, each addressing a specific point from the task. The flow of information is smooth, and the message is clear. To improve, consider using more cohesive devices to link ideas within paragraphs, such as 'furthermore' or 'in addition,' but overall, the coherence is strong.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary is appropriate and generally accurate, with some good choices like 'vividly' and 'anticipate.' However, there are a few minor issues, such as 'millitary' (should be 'military') and 'sitted' (should be 'sitting'). The range of vocabulary is adequate but could be expanded with more precise terms, e.g., 'compartment' instead of 'row' for train seating. Overall, the lexical resource is effective but not highly sophisticated.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, with generally good control. There are a few grammatical errors, such as 'I was sitted' (should be 'I was sitting'), 'Wether' (should be 'Whether'), and 'fauthfully' (should be 'faithfully'). Punctuation is mostly correct, but a comma is missing after 'Please' in the last paragraph. The range of structures is adequate, but more variety, such as conditional sentences, could enhance the writing.

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