You recently stayed in a hotel in a large city. The weather was very unusual for the time of year and the heating / cooling system in the hotel was quite inadequate. Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter: - give details of what went wrong - explain what you had to do to overcome the problem at the time - say what action you would like the manager to take
Sample Response
Dear Sir / Madam
I am writing in connection with my recent stay at the Four Seasons in London, England. Unfortunately, due to a malfunctioning heater in my room, I spent three miserable nights at your hotel from April 26 – 29, 2010.
When I arrived in London, there was an unexpected snowstorm. I understand it does not usually snow inApril; however, when I got to my room, there was no heat. After complaining, a technician was sent up, who informed me they had to install a new heating unit. When I asked to be moved to another room, I was told the hotel was completely booked. Unfortunately, each night after work I returned to discover the problem had not been rectified. Eventually, I spent three horribly uncomfortable nights, wearing my coat to bed, wearing socks around the room and ending up with a bad cold from the unheated room. I had no time to complain as I had to catch a flight home right after my conference.
I am shocked by this terrible service. This is not what anyone expects for $400 a night! To compensate me for this tremendous inconvenience, I ask that you refund my money right away and offer me a free, more comfortable stay in one of your finer suites in the future. If not, I am prepared to take my complaint to a higher authority.
I look forward to hearing from you at the earliest,
Yours faithfully,
Mr John McFee
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Correct formal salutation Original: Dear Sir / Madam Suggested revision: Dear Sir or Madam, Why it matters: Use the conventional formal salutation and close it with a comma.
- 2. Format date range Original: April 26 – 29, 2010 Suggested revision: 26–29 April 2010 Why it matters: This date-range format is clearer and more natural in a formal British English letter.
- 3. Improve word choice Original: horribly Suggested revision: extremely Why it matters: Extremely is a more natural modifier for uncomfortable in formal writing.
- 4. Use formal register Original: right away Suggested revision: promptly Why it matters: Promptly expresses the requested urgency in a more professional tone.
- 5. Clarify suite request Original: finer Suggested revision: better Why it matters: Better suites communicates the intended comparison more naturally here.
- 6. Clarify condition Original: If not Suggested revision: If this matter is not resolved Why it matters: The expanded condition makes the reference to the requested compensation explicit.
- 7. Complete fixed phrase Original: at the earliest Suggested revision: at your earliest convenience Why it matters: The standard formal expression requires a reference to the recipient's convenience.
- 8. Sentence rewrite Original: After complaining, a technician was sent up, who informed me they had to install a new heating unit. Suggested revision: After I complained, a technician came to my room and informed me that a new heating unit had to be installed. Why it matters: The rewrite removes the dangling introductory phrase and gives the reporting clause a clear structure.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: This is not what anyone expects for $400 a night! Suggested revision: This level of service does not reflect the standard expected at this price. Why it matters: A measured statement maintains a firm but professional complaint tone.
Suggested Rewrites
- Dear Sir / Madam Dear Sir or Madam,
- April 26 – 29, 2010 26–29 April 2010
- horribly extremely
- right away promptly
- finer better
- If not If this matter is not resolved
Why this response received Band 8.0
The letter is persuasive and professionally organised, with specific details that fully explain the failed heating, the practical steps taken, and the compensation requested. Its main limitation is a small number of awkward grammatical and collocational choices within an otherwise fluent response. The best improvement would be to refine these local expressions and streamline the closing request while retaining the clear, appropriately firm tone.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all three bullet points are fully developed, and the firm formal tone suits a complaint to a hotel manager.
Make the compensation request slightly more measured so that the closing remains persuasive as well as appropriately assertive.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the stay and fault through the attempted remedies to the requested resolution, with effective paragraphing and cohesive control.
Tighten the long sequence describing the three nights so that each consequence is presented with maximum economy.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise vocabulary, including terms such as malfunctioning, rectified, and inconvenience, conveys the complaint forcefully with only minor awkwardness.
Replace less natural expressions such as at the earliest with fully idiomatic formal phrasing such as at your earliest convenience.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The letter uses a broad range of complex structures accurately, and the few awkward constructions do not impede communication.
Refine relative-clause attachment and parallel structure, particularly around the technician and the list of consequences.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You recently stayed in a hotel in a large city. The weather was very unusual for the time of year and the heating / cooling system in the hotel was quite inadequate. Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter:
- give details of what went wrong
- explain what you had to do to overcome the problem at the time
- say what action you would like the manager to take
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.