You are having a graduation party next Saturday night. You have invited 50 people to celebrate at an outdoor barbecue evening, which may continue till late night. Write a letter to your elderly neighbour. In your letter: explain what will be happening offer your apologies in advance invite him/her to visit your house someday / Ms..................,
Sample Response
Dear Ms Kelly, I am your next-door neighbour James and writing to inform you that I have recently graduated from the Bradford Union School. To celebrate this special event, I and my family have invited a few guests to a house party on Saturday night. I am afraid this will last till late at night and the noise might disturb you. My sincere apology for that in advance. The graduation party will begin at around 8.00 pm on Saturday and we are expecting approximately 50 guests. We have arranged for an outdoor party, mainly a barbecue party and a music gala, and the guests are mainly my friends and relatives. We have arranged an outdoor stage where a few people would talk and two of my friends would sing. My friends would be cheering up and have loud conversations during the party and I am afraid the music might disrupt your sleep. Please accept my sincere apology in advance for the commotion from the party and the gathering. I hope you would be kind enough to endure this disturbance considering how special this event is for me. Please do visit us someday at your convenience over dinner so that we can have a pleasant conversation. I really enjoyed our last discussion and would love to talk to you again. Yours sincerely, James Grant
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Missing subject Original: I am your next-door neighbour James and writing Suggested revision: I am your next-door neighbour, James, and I am writing Why it matters: The second verb needs its own subject and auxiliary.
- 2. Pronoun order Original: I and my family Suggested revision: my family and I Why it matters: The other noun phrase should normally come before “I”.
- 3. Match prompt Original: a few guests Suggested revision: about 50 guests Why it matters: The prompt says 50 people, so “a few” understates the event.
- 4. Formal preposition Original: till late at night Suggested revision: until late at night Why it matters: “Until” is more formal and precise.
- 5. Plural expression Original: My sincere apology Suggested revision: My sincere apologies Why it matters: “My sincere apologies” is the fixed expression.
- 6. Time style Original: 8.00 pm Suggested revision: 8:00 pm Why it matters: This is a clearer standard time format.
- 7. Natural event wording Original: a barbecue party and a music gala Suggested revision: an outdoor barbecue with some music Why it matters: This sounds more natural and neighbourly.
- 8. Avoid repetition Original: the guests are mainly Suggested revision: most guests are Why it matters: This avoids repeating “guests” after the previous clause.
- 9. Future plan Original: people would talk Suggested revision: people will speak Why it matters: Use “will” for planned future events.
- 10. Future plan Original: friends would sing Suggested revision: friends will sing Why it matters: Use “will” for a planned event.
- 11. Wrong phrasal verb Original: cheering up Suggested revision: cheering Why it matters: “Cheering up” means making someone happier; here the meaning is simply making cheers.
- 12. Softer request Original: endure this disturbance Suggested revision: bear with us Why it matters: This sounds more neighbourly and less severe.
Suggested Rewrites
- I am your next-door neighbour James and writing I am your next-door neighbour, James, and I am writing
- I and my family my family and I
- a few guests about 50 guests
- till late at night until late at night
- My sincere apology My sincere apologies
- 8.00 pm 8:00 pm
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The letter clearly explains the graduation party, apologises in advance for likely disturbance, and invites the elderly neighbour to visit another day. The semi-formal tone is mostly appropriate.
Mention the outdoor barbecue more directly in the opening to match the prompt exactly.
Coherence and Cohesion
The content is well sequenced, but the response is one long block and repeats apology and party details. Cohesion is adequate, though several sentences could be grouped more clearly.
Use three paragraphs: notice of the party, apology for noise, and invitation to visit.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is suitable and varied, including “commotion”, “convenience”, and “pleasant conversation”. Some choices sound unnatural or too strong, such as “music gala”, “endure”, and “cheering up”.
Choose neighbourly, moderate wording that sounds considerate rather than dramatic.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning is clear, but grammar errors occur in pronoun order, missing verbs, modal choice, and noun phrases. Several future events are expressed with “would” where “will” is needed.
Use “will” for planned party details and check subject-verb completeness in the opening sentence.