Letter

Band 7+: You recently went on a short holiday to a beach town with some friends. Write a letter to your cousin telling them about the trip. You should include details about: - where you went and what you did there - a funny or memorable moment from the trip - your suggestion for them to visit the same place or plan a future trip together

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Dear cousin,

I just returned from the weekend trip with our mutual friends, I am so sad that you could not come, so I decided to tell you everything.

We went with our tents in the Swiss alps, we could see every star in the sky since we were so distant from the nearest city. We woke up everyday at 6 a.m. to start our long hikes, for breakfast we ate a fruit and some nuts, while for lunch we always stopped at a chalet on the road. During the afternoons we often found some lakes or other landscapes to relax and spend time together, before preparing the fire for the dinner.

On the other hand, it was not all rainbows and sunshine, on the first day we saw a bear in the forest; you perfectly know how much I am scared of them, so it was difficult to forget this encounter for the rest of the vacation. Nonetheless, while I write this letter I consider even this experience as a memorable part of the trip, and I am happy that it happened.

You should totally come with us the next time, you know that I will not accept no as an answer; if you are not comfortable in doing these adventurous experiences, we can start from something easier.

Greeting,

Francesco Di Falco.

Word Count: 223

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Overall Band Score

(+/- 0.5)

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

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:
No noticeable repetition! Great job!

Task Response

The letter effectively covers all three required points: it describes the destination and activities, includes a memorable moment (the bear encounter), and invites the cousin to join the next trip. The tone is appropriate and the content is relevant. Minor lapses include a slightly informal opening and a few grammatical errors (e.g., 'I am so sad that you could not come' could be more natural, and 'Greeting' should be 'Greetings'). To improve, ensure the letter flows more smoothly and check for minor punctuation and word choice issues.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphs for the trip details, memorable moments, and invitation. However, the flow could be improved by using more cohesive devices to link ideas smoothly. For example, the transition from the description of the trip to the bear encounter could be smoother. Additionally, the opening sentence is a bit abrupt and could be rephrased to better connect with the reader.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary used is appropriate and generally accurate, with some good descriptive phrases like 'rainbows and sunshine' and 'adventurous experiences.' However, there is room for more sophisticated and varied word choices. For instance, instead of 'we went with our tents,' you could say 'we went camping with our tents.' Also, 'Greeting' at the end should be 'Greetings' or 'Best regards' for a more natural closing.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings that affect clarity. For example, 'I am so sad that you could not come, so I decided to tell you everything' could be rephrased as 'I was sad you couldn't come, so I decided to tell you all about it.' Also, 'we woke up everyday' should be 'we woke up every day,' and 'for breakfast we ate a fruit' should be 'for breakfast we ate fruit.' The sentence 'you perfectly know how much I am scared of them' is awkward; it would be better as 'you know perfectly well how scared I am of them.' Additionally, 'Greeting' should be 'Greetings' or 'Best regards.' These errors, while not severe, are noticeable and impact the overall accuracy.

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Task Response

Coherence & Cohesion

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

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On a recent holiday, you lost a valuable item. Fortunately you have travel insurance to cover the cost of the lost item. Write a letter to the insurance manager. In your letter: - describe the item you lost - explain how you lost it - tell the insurance company what you would like them to do

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Task Response

Coherence & Cohesion

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Grammatical Range & Accuracy

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