You are organising an executive event for the company you work for. Write a letter to the person in charge of a venue that you are considering for the event. In your letter: - ask about available dates - ask what services the venue provides - ask about the costs
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to request some information to reserve your venue for an executive event for Dreko Company Limited. We will organise the annual board meeting in December for the company stakeholders and investors and expecting your response to finalise the location. Firstly, I would like to know the availability of the venue at the end of June 2025. We need the venue for the whole day and 27th June is our preference for the event. Secondly, a light breakfast during the meeting is expected to be served and dinner should be arranged following the meeting. Finally, please inform me of the cost for all the above-mentioned arrangements. Also, do let me know if we can avail any discounts for that. We are expecting around 30 guests and would really appreciate it if you could provide all these details before the end of this week. Thank you in advance. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully, Riya Nagpal
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Correct information purpose Original: request some information to reserve Suggested revision: request some information about reserving Why it matters: Information is requested about a possible reservation rather than to reserve something directly.
- 2. Use company possessive Original: company Suggested revision: company's Why it matters: The stakeholders belong to the company, so the possessive form is required.
- 3. Ask availability directly Original: know the availability of the venue Suggested revision: know whether the venue is available Why it matters: Whether the venue is available forms a clearer indirect question.
- 4. Use event-duration phrase Original: whole Suggested revision: full Why it matters: Full day is the more concise and natural event-booking expression.
- 5. Use formal date format Original: 27th Suggested revision: 27 Why it matters: Formal British correspondence normally omits the ordinal ending.
- 6. State preferred date Original: is our preference for the event Suggested revision: is our preferred date Why it matters: The adjective phrase is more concise and natural for a booking request.
- 7. Correct cost preposition Original: for Suggested revision: of Why it matters: Cost takes of when referring to the services included in a quotation.
- 8. Use direct service reference Original: above-mentioned arrangements Suggested revision: requested arrangements Why it matters: Requested arrangements is clearer and less cumbersome.
- 9. Use polite addition Original: Also, do let me know Suggested revision: Please also let me know Why it matters: The replacement integrates the additional question more smoothly and professionally.
- 10. Correct discount collocation Original: avail any discounts Suggested revision: receive any discount Why it matters: In this structure, a customer receives or qualifies for a discount rather than avails one.
- 11. Clarify discount reference Original: for that Suggested revision: on the booking Why it matters: The replacement clearly identifies what the requested discount would apply to.
- 12. Use simple planning tense Original: We are expecting around 30 guests Suggested revision: We expect around 30 guests Why it matters: The simple present is concise and natural for the anticipated attendance.
Suggested Rewrites
- request some information to reserve request some information about reserving
- company company's
- know the availability of the venue know whether the venue is available
- whole full
- 27th 27
- is our preference for the event is our preferred date
Why this response received Band 6.5
The letter makes clear requests about a preferred date, catering arrangements, total cost, and possible discounts in a suitably formal tone. Its main limitation is the direct contradiction between describing the meeting as occurring in December and requesting the venue for June, while the question about available services is narrowed mainly to meals. The priority is to correct the event date and request a fuller list of relevant venue services.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All three bullet areas are addressed, but the conflicting event months undermine practical clarity and the services enquiry is only partially developed.
Give one consistent date and ask about room setup, audiovisual equipment, technical support, parking, and catering for the thirty guests.
Coherence and Cohesion
The requests follow a recognisable date-services-cost sequence, but the single paragraph and contradictory timing weaken overall progression.
Use a short opening followed by separate paragraphs for date and guest details, required services, and a complete cost quotation.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is adequate for a formal venue enquiry, though several phrases involving reservations, discounts, and arrangements are unnatural.
Use conventional expressions such as 'enquire about booking', 'catering requirements', 'itemised quotation', and 'eligible for a discount'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The message is understandable and includes some complex structures, but fragments, missing auxiliaries, and awkward verb patterns recur.
Correct sentences such as 'We are organising an annual board meeting' and 'We would appreciate a response so that we can finalise the venue'.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You are organising an executive event for the company you work for. Write a letter to the person in charge of a venue that you are considering for the event. In your letter:
- ask about available dates
- ask what services the venue provides
- ask about the costs
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.