You have bought a new camera but when you got it home you found it had some problems. You returned the camera and spoke to the company representative a week ago but the camera has still not been repaired. Write a letter to the company. In your letter: - introduce yourself - explain the situation - say what action you would like the company to take
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I have recently bought a Samsung digital camera from your showroom. I was excited to bring it home but disappointed to find that it did not work as expected. To add more misery, even after I returned it to your store to claim the warranty, I am yet to hear an update. I am hoping to get my camera replaced by a new one. I have bought a Samsung NX410 40MP camera from 125 Oxford St, Soho showroom on 10th December. Unfortunately, it malfunctioned just after I took it home. I cannot take pictures and it turns off automatically. The very next day, I visited your showroom and talked to Cynthia, one of your representatives, who assured me that the camera would be replaced within 24 hours. When I called her again, she told me that it would take a few more days and would be repaired instead of being replaced. When I demanded the reason, she failed to answer. It has been almost a week since I purchased the camera from your store. The faulty product should be your responsibility, not mine. One of my relatives has advised me to talk to the Consumer Rights Authority and file a complaint against your company but I will wait till 24th (the day before Christmas). I am attaching the receipt of the purchase. I still believe in your brand reputation. I would like you to take immediate action against the misconduct I experienced. Yours faithfully, Ginna Maria
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural expression Original: To add more misery Suggested revision: To make matters worse Why it matters: This is the standard expression for introducing an additional negative development.
- 2. Correct warranty phrase Original: claim the warranty Suggested revision: make a warranty claim Why it matters: The natural collocation is to make a warranty claim.
- 3. Use precise collocation Original: hear Suggested revision: receive Why it matters: An update is normally received rather than heard in this context.
- 4. Correct replacement preposition Original: by Suggested revision: with Why it matters: Use 'replace with' when naming the item that should be supplied instead.
- 5. Clarify showroom location Original: from 125 Oxford St, Soho showroom Suggested revision: from your showroom at 125 Oxford St in Soho Why it matters: The revised prepositions and determiner clearly identify the showroom and its location.
- 6. Use natural wording Original: demanded the reason Suggested revision: asked for an explanation Why it matters: This phrase expresses the intended request in natural formal English.
- 7. Use formal verb Original: talk to the Consumer Rights Authority Suggested revision: contact the Consumer Rights Authority Why it matters: 'Contact' is more precise and appropriately formal for a complaint letter.
- 8. Complete the date Original: wait till 24th Suggested revision: wait until 24 December Why it matters: An ordinal number needs a stated month to identify the deadline clearly.
- 9. Add possessive form Original: brand Suggested revision: brand's Why it matters: The possessive form is needed because the reputation belongs to the brand.
- 10. Use concise past tense Original: I have recently bought Suggested revision: I recently bought Why it matters: The simple past is more concise because the later sentence gives the purchase date.
- 11. Make request more formal Original: I am hoping to get Suggested revision: I would like to have Why it matters: This wording states the requested remedy more directly and formally.
- 12. Clarify complete failure Original: take pictures Suggested revision: take any pictures Why it matters: Adding 'any' makes the total inability to use the camera clearer.
Suggested Rewrites
- To add more misery To make matters worse
- claim the warranty make a warranty claim
- hear receive
- by with
- from 125 Oxford St, Soho showroom from your showroom at 125 Oxford St in Soho
- demanded the reason asked for an explanation
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter has a clear purpose, covers the purchase and repair history in useful detail, and maintains an appropriately formal tone. Its main limitation is imprecise wording around the requested remedy, since it moves from replacement to repair and then asks for action against misconduct. State one specific resolution and deadline, and organise the account into clear paragraphs.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear and all three bullet points are addressed with relevant details about the purchase, fault, and delayed response.
State the desired outcome consistently, such as an immediate replacement by a precise deadline, instead of ending with the vague request for action against misconduct.
Coherence and Cohesion
The events progress logically from purchase to complaint and requested resolution, with generally effective linking between ideas.
Separate the opening purpose, problem history, and requested action into distinct paragraphs to make the letter easier to follow.
Lexical Resource
The letter uses a good range of formal complaint vocabulary, although phrases such as add more misery and claim the warranty are awkward.
Choose more natural collocations, such as to make matters worse and make a warranty claim, while retaining the appropriately firm register.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A variety of complex structures is used with generally good control, and the few errors do not impede meaning.
Improve tense and article accuracy in time-specific statements, for example by using I bought the camera on 10 December.
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 bought a new camera but when you got it home you found it had some problems. You returned the camera and spoke to the company representative a week ago but the camera has still not been repaired. Write a letter to the company. In your letter:
- introduce yourself
- explain the situation
- say what action you would like the company to take
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.