Letter

Band 7+: 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

See all user-written answers on this topic

Skyrocket your IELTS band score by 1-2 points in under a month with our premium plan!

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

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to kindly explain a situation that I faced when I tried to catch the train last Sunday to go to Toronto, and how your staff were being very unhelpful.

I bought my tickets on the 22nd of February to go to Toronto on the 1st of March at 9.00 am, but I was told by some of your staff that I could not use the train tickets I purchased for my journey.

At that moment, your staff was being very unhelpful, and one particular officer was rude towards me, while none of them were willing to give me a valid reason as to why I could not continue with my journey. I was very disappointed in this case as I had missed my business meeting in Toronto. I would kindly like you to look into this matter and let me know what the issue was.

Thank you for your time and understanding.

Regards,

Lithasha.

Word Count: 159

Check Your Answer On This Topic?

Check My Answer

Generate A Band-9 Sample Answer?

Generate A Sample

Overall Band Score

(+/- 0.5)

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

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:

toronto: 3

staff: 3

Try using synonyms for the above words

Task Response

The letter adequately addresses the task by describing the problem with the tickets, expressing dissatisfaction with the staff, and suggesting action. However, the letter could benefit from more specific details to strengthen the impact and clarity of the message. For example, elaborating on the rudeness of the staff or suggesting a specific form of compensation could enhance the letter.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter is generally well-organized and easy to follow. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the progression of information is logical. However, consider adding more specific details to enhance the coherence. For example, you could elaborate on the type of business meeting you missed or provide more context about your travel plans. This would further strengthen the connection between ideas and improve the overall flow.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary used is appropriate and effectively conveys the message. However, there's room to enhance the lexical resource by incorporating more varied and precise language. For instance, instead of repeatedly using 'unhelpful,' you could use synonyms like 'dismissive,' 'unresponsive,' or 'inattentive' to describe the staff's behavior. Similarly, consider using stronger verbs and more descriptive adjectives to add depth and nuance to your writing.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The letter demonstrates a good command of grammar and sentence structure. While there are a few minor errors, they do not significantly impede understanding. To further improve grammatical accuracy, pay close attention to verb tense consistency and subject-verb agreement. Additionally, consider varying sentence structures to enhance the overall flow and readability of the letter.

Answers On The Same Topic:

See All

Explanation letter. A family member is coming to stay with you. He or she will be arriving by train in the morning, but you won't be home until the evening.

Dear Rohini, I hope this letter found you in great health. First of all, i was so pleased when i heard that you are planning to visit my house this weekend. I saw you mentioned in you letter that you will be arriving by train in early morning on saturday. My exicement was on cloud […]

Band 5+

See All