For the past year you have been a member of a local club. Now you want to discontinue your membership. Write a letter to the club secretary. In your letter: - state what type of membership you have and how you have paid for this - give details of how you have benefited from the club - explain why you want to leave
Sample Response
Dear Sir,
In September 2003, I joined your Sports and Social club as a full-time student member. Since then I have paid the monthly membership fees by direct debit from my bank: Nationwide in Sanderson Avenue, Kinghill.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my club membership as it has provided me with useful opportunities to meet up with other young people and to participate in a number of social activities. I have also been fortunate enough to play in some of the inter-club tennis tournaments and have taken advantage of the various classes available such as Yoga and T’ai chi.
However, my studies are now coming to an end and as I will shortly be returning to my home country, possibly for good, I regret that I no longer wish to continue my membership.
I would be grateful, therefore, if you could confirm in writing that the monthly fee will no longer be deducted from my bank account.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use inclusive salutation Original: Dear Sir, Suggested revision: Dear Sir or Madam, Why it matters: The secretary's gender is unknown, so this salutation is more appropriately neutral.
- 2. Use singular fee Original: fees Suggested revision: fee Why it matters: The singular form is more precise for one recurring monthly charge.
- 3. Clarify bank details Original: my bank: Nationwide in Sanderson Avenue, Kinghill Suggested revision: my account at Nationwide on Sanderson Avenue in Kinghill Why it matters: This wording makes the relationship between the account, bank, street, and town clear.
- 4. Use formal wording Original: meet up with Suggested revision: meet Why it matters: The shorter verb is more concise and suitably formal for this letter.
- 5. State benefit directly Original: fortunate enough to play Suggested revision: able to play Why it matters: This wording states the membership benefit more directly.
- 6. Set off examples Original: classes available such as Suggested revision: available classes, such as Why it matters: The revised word order and comma introduce the examples more smoothly.
- 7. Remove uncertain aside Original: possibly for good, Suggested revision: Delete Why it matters: Removing this hedge makes the reason for ending the membership more direct.
- 8. Clarify reason for leaving Original: I regret that I no longer wish Suggested revision: I regret that I am unable Why it matters: This wording connects the cancellation to the move rather than presenting it as a mere preference.
- 9. Add formal sign-off Original: bank account. Suggested revision: bank account. Yours faithfully, [Name] Why it matters: A formal letter should end with a suitable closing and the writer's name.
Suggested Rewrites
- Dear Sir, Dear Sir or Madam,
- fees fee
- my bank: Nationwide in Sanderson Avenue, Kinghill my account at Nationwide on Sanderson Avenue in Kinghill
- meet up with meet
- fortunate enough to play able to play
- classes available such as available classes, such as
Why this response received Band 8.0
The letter is clear, polished, and appropriately formal, with all three content requirements addressed through specific, relevant detail. Its only notable limitation is that the ending lacks a conventional complimentary close and name, although this does not obscure the purpose. The highest-priority refinement is to add a complete formal sign-off while maintaining the same concise development and precise control.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all three bullet points are fully addressed, and the formal tone is consistently appropriate.
Add a conventional complimentary close and name to complete the formal letter format.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically through membership details, benefits, the reason for leaving, and the requested action, with effective paragraphing.
Preserve this clear progression while making the final request and closing a fully formed concluding paragraph.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and precise, with natural phrases such as "direct debit," "take advantage of," and "coming to an end."
Continue refining collocational precision and avoid unnecessary qualifiers such as "possibly for good" unless they add essential meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately, and the response is almost entirely error-free.
Maintain this high level of control while checking punctuation and sentence economy in longer constructions.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
For the past year you have been a member of a local club. Now you want to discontinue your membership. Write a letter to the club secretary. In your letter:
- state what type of membership you have and how you have paid for this
- give details of how you have benefited from the club
- explain why you want to leave
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.