You live in a university residence and have a problem with noise from a new campus restaurant that stays open until midnight. Write to the governor of the university. In your letter: - complain about the situation - explain why the noise is a problem - propose ways to reduce the noise
Sample Response
Dear Mr Muller,
I am Elena Shephard, a resident at the Brookbrain University Residential Area, writing to complain about the unbearable noise and cacophony from a newly opened restaurant. I am hoping that you will intervene to resolve the problem.
The ceaseless noise problem from the newly opened restaurant has become so severe that it is giving us mental trauma. I am very pleased about living in this otherwise great and peaceful residential area, but the high-pitched noise and honks from motor vehicles generated due to the gathering at the restaurant have made the life of the residents extremely difficult.
It has become such a big problem for us because this eatery remains open till 2:00 in the morning starting from 9.00 AM, and it attracts a large number of crowds every hour. The customers bring cars and motorcycles and talk in front of the restaurant. Moreover, the restaurant authority uses loudspeakers to listen to music day and night. It affects our sleep, study and work since we can hardly concentrate or sleep when there is extreme noise around us.
To solve the problem, the campus authority needs to restrict the canteen’s opening and closing hours between 11:00 AM and 9:00 PM. I suppose the restaurant authority should put some signs to request guests not to use any horns, and stop using the loud music altogether. We are hoping that you would make sure these steps are implemented to keep the noise absolute minimum.
Thank you for your kind attention and initiatives in advance.
Sincerely yours,
Elena Shephard
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural location Original: at the Brookbrain University Residential Area Suggested revision: in the Brookbrain University residence Why it matters: A student lives 'in' a residence, and 'residence' is more natural than 'Residential Area' here.
- 2. Remove repetition Original: unbearable noise and cacophony Suggested revision: unbearable noise Why it matters: 'Cacophony' repeats the meaning already conveyed by 'unbearable noise'.
- 3. Use direct request Original: I am hoping that you will intervene Suggested revision: I hope you will intervene Why it matters: The simple present is more concise and natural in a formal request.
- 4. Moderate the wording Original: giving us mental trauma Suggested revision: causing us considerable distress Why it matters: The replacement conveys the serious impact in a measured formal register.
- 5. Fix adjective pattern Original: pleased about living Suggested revision: pleased to live Why it matters: 'Pleased' takes an infinitive when expressing satisfaction with this situation.
- 6. Use natural noun Original: noise and honks from motor vehicles Suggested revision: noise and vehicle horns Why it matters: 'Honks' names sounds or actions, while 'vehicle horns' names the source being described.
- 7. Clarify the cause Original: generated due to the gathering at the restaurant Suggested revision: caused by activity around the restaurant Why it matters: The replacement avoids the awkward passive phrase and identifies the source clearly.
- 8. Use plural possessive Original: made the life of the residents Suggested revision: made residents' lives Why it matters: The complaint concerns multiple residents, so the plural possessive construction is required.
- 9. Match the task facts Original: till 2:00 in the morning Suggested revision: until midnight Why it matters: The task states that the restaurant remains open until midnight, not 2:00 a.m.
- 10. Use concise time phrase Original: starting from 9.00 AM Suggested revision: from 9:00 a.m. Why it matters: The shorter prepositional phrase is natural, and the time format is consistent.
- 11. Fix count expression Original: a large number of crowds Suggested revision: large crowds Why it matters: 'Crowds' already expresses groups of many people, so 'a large number of' is redundant.
- 12. Use travel collocation Original: The customers bring cars and motorcycles Suggested revision: Customers arrive by car and motorcycle Why it matters: People normally 'arrive by' a mode of transport rather than 'bring' it in this context.
Suggested Rewrites
- at the Brookbrain University Residential Area in the Brookbrain University residence
- unbearable noise and cacophony unbearable noise
- I am hoping that you will intervene I hope you will intervene
- giving us mental trauma causing us considerable distress
- pleased about living pleased to live
- noise and honks from motor vehicles noise and vehicle horns
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter's strongest feature is its complete and professionally organised complaint, with specific effects on sleep, study and work plus several practical remedies. Its main content flaw is that it changes the restaurant's stated midnight closing time to 2:00 a.m., while a few dramatic or awkward phrases reduce credibility. Prioritise strict consistency with the given situation, then present the noise sources and requested restrictions in precise, measured formal language.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All three requirements are fully developed in an appropriate formal tone, but changing the supplied midnight closing time to 2:00 a.m. creates a significant factual inconsistency.
Keep the closing time at midnight and retain the specific explanation of disrupted sleep, study and work plus the practical proposals about hours, horns and music.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter progresses clearly through purpose, description, effects and solutions, with each communicative function placed in a focused paragraph.
Tighten the two middle paragraphs by combining repeated references to the newly opened restaurant and linking each noise source directly to its effect.
Lexical Resource
A broad and generally precise formal range conveys the seriousness of the complaint, though some dramatic wording and awkward collocations reduce naturalness.
Prefer measured phrases such as 'persistent noise', 'vehicle horns', 'large crowds' and 'keep noise to an absolute minimum'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good variety of sentence structures is used with generally strong control, despite occasional article, preposition, modality and parallelism errors.
Use forms such as 'has made residents' lives difficult', 'hope that you will' and 'request guests not to sound their horns or play loud music'.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You live in a university residence and have a problem with noise from a new campus restaurant that stays open until midnight. Write to the governor of the university. In your letter:
- complain about the situation
- explain why the noise is a problem
- propose ways to reduce the noise
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.