You borrowed a book from a public library and the book is now damaged. Write a letter to the librarian to explain the situation. In your letter mention: - details about the book - how it was damaged - what you want to do about it
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am a member of your library- The Graham Public Library and have been enjoying my membership for the past three years. I would like to explain why I have been unable to return a book I borrowed two weeks ago. I am hoping that you would allow me to purchase a new book of the same title and do not impose any fine on my membership. I am Shirley Beth and my library membership number is CA-GP 125401. I borrowed the book 'The Watsons' - a novel by Jane Austen, on 24th July and the deadline to return the book was on 2nd August. Unfortunately, on 1st August, I found that the cover page of the book was gone and pages 10 to 24 were missing! It's hard to read the rest of this book since there are tonnes of scratches on it. Off the top of my head, my dog damaged the book when I was out to attend a party with a few college friends. I guess I forgot to feed my dog when I hurried out to attend a party. He was too hungry that thought the book was something he can eat. I must confess it was a mistake I should have been more careful about it. I cannot deny that I should be responsible for the book of indemnity. However, as an old member and a regular visitor to your library, I would request you to allow me to compensate for that by purchasing the same book within the next week. I would also request you not to impose any late fee or penalty for the incident. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully, Shirley Beth
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Separate the salutation Original: Dear Sir or Madam, I am Suggested revision: Dear Sir or Madam, I am Why it matters: A formal salutation should be separated from the body of the letter.
- 2. Punctuate the apposition Original: library- The Graham Public Library Suggested revision: library, the Graham Public Library, Why it matters: Commas correctly set off the library name as an appositive.
- 3. Use future form Original: would Suggested revision: will Why it matters: After “I am hoping,” “will” is the natural form for the requested future action.
- 4. Keep verbs parallel Original: and do not impose Suggested revision: and not impose Why it matters: The second verb should remain parallel with “allow” under the same modal.
- 5. Use precise term Original: the cover page of the book Suggested revision: the book's cover Why it matters: A physical book has a cover, while “cover page” usually refers to a document's title page.
- 6. Choose formal wording Original: gone Suggested revision: missing Why it matters: “Was missing” is more precise and appropriately formal.
- 7. Avoid exaggeration Original: tonnes of scratches Suggested revision: many scratches Why it matters: “Many scratches” is clearer and better suited to a formal letter.
- 8. Correct the expression Original: Off the top of my head, Suggested revision: I believe Why it matters: “Off the top of my head” refers to recalling something without preparation and does not fit this explanation.
- 9. Use natural phrasing Original: when I was out to attend a party Suggested revision: while I was at a party Why it matters: This phrase states the circumstances more naturally and concisely.
- 10. Use formal tone Original: guess Suggested revision: believe Why it matters: “I believe” is more appropriate than the conversational “I guess” in a letter to a librarian.
- 11. Reduce repetition Original: hurried out to attend a party Suggested revision: left for the party Why it matters: This avoids repeating “attend a party” and expresses the action more naturally.
- 12. State responsibility clearly Original: cannot deny that I should be responsible Suggested revision: accept that I am responsible Why it matters: The revised form expresses present responsibility directly and grammatically.
Suggested Rewrites
- Dear Sir or Madam, I am Dear Sir or Madam, I am
- library- The Graham Public Library library, the Graham Public Library,
- would will
- and do not impose and not impose
- the cover page of the book the book's cover
- gone missing
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response clearly identifies the book, explains the damage, accepts responsibility, and proposes a practical replacement, so its communicative purpose remains easy to follow. Its main limitation is uneven control of formal register and language, with conversational expressions, awkward collocations, and several faulty sentence structures. Prioritising consistently professional phrasing and correcting clause construction would make the request more credible and polished.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
All requested points are covered with substantial detail and a clear proposed solution, but parts of the explanation are over-elaborate and too conversational for a librarian.
Keep the account concise and consistently formal, focusing on the damage, responsibility, and proposed replacement rather than the party and feeding details.
Coherence and Cohesion
The ideas follow a broadly logical sequence, but presenting the entire letter as one block weakens paragraphing and makes some transitions feel crowded.
Divide the letter into clear paragraphs for identification, the damage, and the requested remedy.
Lexical Resource
There is enough vocabulary to explain the incident precisely, but several expressions are inappropriate or inaccurate, including "off the top of my head" and "responsible for the book of indemnity."
Replace conversational or misused phrases with accurate formal choices such as "I believe," "liable for the damage," and "replace the book."
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response mixes accurate complex sentences with recurring errors in clause structure, punctuation, and verb patterns, though meaning is generally clear.
Focus on complete clause construction and accurate patterns, especially in sentences such as "He was so hungry that he thought the book was food."
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 borrowed a book from a public library and the book is now damaged. Write a letter to the librarian to explain the situation. In your letter mention:
- details about the book
- how it was damaged
- what you want to do about it
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.