You have been living in a rental apartment for the past year. Recently a new neighbour moved in and has been making a lot of noise, which disturbs you. Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter: - explain the situation - describe why it bothers you - suggest a solution
Sample Response
Dear Mr Shah
I hope you and your family are all well. I am writing in connection with a problem I have with the new tenant, Jack, who has moved in downstairs. Unfortunately, his habits and needs appear to be quite different from my own.
The issue is that Jack is a professional musician who plays his electric guitar late into the night. I understand he is in a band and needs to practice; however, I think he cannot do so in a residential building such as ours. As I mentioned to you when I signed the lease to the apartment, I am a full-time writer who works from home. For me, it is essential to have silence so I can concentrate on my work. With Jack playing at all hours, I have been unable to get any of my writing done, except when he is out. In some cases, I have even been forced to leave the apartment and work at a nearby coffee shop or library as the guitar playing was causing such a disturbance.
I would appreciate it if you could speak to Jack and ask him to turn down the volume on his guitar or else to use headphones. I have spoken to him about it, but to no avail. I will let you know as soon as the situation improves.
Thank you kindly in advance and please give my best regards to your family,
Yours sincerely,
Meg Snyder
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Add salutation comma Original: Dear Mr Shah Suggested revision: Dear Mr Shah, Why it matters: A formal salutation should end with a comma.
- 2. Use precise wording Original: his habits and needs appear Suggested revision: his routine appears Why it matters: The singular phrase describes the neighbour's differing daily pattern more naturally.
- 3. Correct preposition Original: to Suggested revision: for Why it matters: A lease is normally described as being for a property.
- 4. Use natural collocation Original: essential to have silence Suggested revision: essential to have a quiet environment Why it matters: This phrase expresses the need for suitable working conditions more naturally.
- 5. Keep timing consistent Original: at all hours Suggested revision: late at night Why it matters: This wording matches the specific timing of the disturbance already described.
- 6. Align the tense Original: as the guitar playing was causing such a disturbance Suggested revision: because the guitar playing causes such a disturbance Why it matters: The present tense fits the ongoing problem described with the present perfect.
- 7. Streamline the alternative Original: or else to use headphones Suggested revision: or use headphones Why it matters: The shorter parallel structure coordinates the two requested actions clearly.
- 8. Sentence rewrite Original: I understand he is in a band and needs to practice; however, I think he cannot do so in a residential building such as ours. Suggested revision: I understand that he is in a band and needs to practise; however, I do not think he should do so late at night in a residential building such as ours. Why it matters: The revised modal expresses disapproval rather than inability and clarifies when the practice is objectionable.
- 9. Make the request specific Suggested revision: Specify that the landlord should ask Jack to avoid amplified guitar practice late at night. Why it matters: A clearer time-based request would make the proposed solution easier for the landlord to act on.
Suggested Rewrites
- Dear Mr Shah Dear Mr Shah,
- his habits and needs appear his routine appears
- to for
- essential to have silence essential to have a quiet environment
- at all hours late at night
- as the guitar playing was causing such a disturbance because the guitar playing causes such a disturbance
Why this response received Band 8.0
The letter fully develops the complaint, its impact, and a practical remedy in a consistently courteous, persuasive voice, supported by precise vocabulary and varied, well-controlled sentences. Its only meaningful limitation is that a few expressions are slightly absolute or awkward for the context. The highest-priority refinement is to make those isolated choices more natural and diplomatically qualified while preserving the excellent clarity and development.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all three bullet points are fully developed, and the courteous tone is consistently appropriate for a landlord.
Refine the request by qualifying the claim that Jack cannot practise in the building, making the complaint even more diplomatic.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the situation to its effects and then the requested solution, with cohesive devices used unobtrusively.
For maximum precision, keep each paragraph tightly centred on one communicative function and trim the slightly conversational closing detail.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary, including phrases such as 'to no avail,' conveys the complaint naturally with only isolated awkwardness.
Replace slightly unnatural combinations such as 'signed the lease to the apartment' with idiomatic forms such as 'signed the lease for the apartment.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is handled accurately, and the few minor imperfections do not impede communication.
Polish tense consistency in the sentence about leaving the apartment so the time relationship is completely natural.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You have been living in a rental apartment for the past year. Recently a new neighbour moved in and has been making a lot of noise, which disturbs you. Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:
- explain the situation
- describe why it bothers you
- suggest a solution
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.