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Letter

Band 8+: You recently bought some train tickets for a journey a week in advance. When you went to the station to catch the train, you were told you could not use the tickets and the staff were very unhelpful to you. Write a letter to the train company. In your letter: Describe the problem you had with the tickets Say why were unhappy with the staff Suggest what action the train company should take

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Note: Both the topic and the answer were created by one of our users.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to request a refund and to complain about the inconvenience caused by your staff in handling the problem I faced with my train tickets, which I bought in advance a week before my travel from your company.

Firstly, I would like to bring your attention to the luggage allowance mentioned by your staff when I bought the ticket to travel to the district of Stratford. The hard copy of the ticket issued did not include the kilograms of luggage that I could carry. Therefore, the station master did not permit me to use the tickets since I was carrying more than 20 kg, and he mentioned that I must provide proof of payment for extra luggage from the booking company.

Moreover, when I contacted your office, the staff were reluctant to help me tackle my problem. They said that they did not have a record of my booking, and they were also impolite. I believe that checking the system for the travel ticket reference number would have been an easy solution. However, the staff were not ready to take my advice. Therefore, I am not very happy with the customer support provided by your employees.

Furthermore, I propose that you process my refund promptly. I also suggest that such errors should not occur repeatedly. I have been your loyal customer for three years, and this incident has lowered my trust in the service provided by your company. Please ensure the staff are trained to handle these problems with adequate knowledge.

Yours faithfully,

Mike.

Word Count: 260

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Overall Band Score

8.5

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
B1 - Intermediate
Using more sophisticated words could be beneficial.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:

staff: 5

travel: 3

luggage: 3

ticket: 3

Try using synonyms for the above words

Task Response

7

The letter addresses all three bullet points: it describes the ticket problem, explains dissatisfaction with staff, and suggests actions. The tone is formal and appropriate. However, the problem description is somewhat unclear - it focuses on luggage allowance rather than the tickets being unusable, which may confuse the reader. To improve, clarify the exact issue with the tickets (e.g., why they were invalid) and ensure the suggested action directly addresses the refund and staff training. Overall, the response is relevant and sufficient, with minor lapses in clarity.

Coherence & Cohesion

9

The letter is exceptionally well-organized and easy to follow. Each paragraph has a clear purpose: introducing the complaint, describing the ticket problem, explaining the staff issue, and suggesting actions. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively, and paragraphing is skillfully managed.

Lexical Resource

9

The vocabulary is precise, varied, and appropriate for a formal complaint letter. Phrases such as 'bring your attention to', 'reluctant to help', 'tackle my problem', and 'lowered my trust' demonstrate a sophisticated and natural control of lexical features. The tone is consistently formal and polite.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

9

The letter demonstrates a wide range of grammatical structures used with full flexibility and control. Sentences are varied in length and complexity, and punctuation and grammar are used accurately throughout. There are no noticeable errors, and the overall accuracy is excellent.

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