You feel the evening programs on a local television station are uninteresting. Write a letter to the manager of the television station. In your letter: - explain why you do not like the current programs - describe what kind of programs you would like to see instead - explain why these programs would be better
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing in regards to the evening programmes which are currently being telecast on your TV channel. As per the current schedule of the evening slot, most of the programmes are dull and less exciting. It would be great if you can reschedule some of these programmes and introduce more exciting and absorbing programmes in the evening time. Most of these programmes of the evening slot are in the category of soap opera and the target audiences are mostly adult women. If this slot had more family entertainment programmes like comedy, magic shows, reality shows, children-oriented programmes, or documentaries, it would have been more captivating for audiences of all ages. I believe by introducing this variety of programmes into the evening slot, your channel can attract more viewers as well as advertisers. Since audiences of a specific age group enjoy your evening programmes, you must be missing some advertising opportunities. Evening time in each family is considered to be the reunion time. Children join their parents after completing a long day in school and in the same way parents also return home after a tiring day in the office. So every member of the family prefers being in the living room in the evening as their meeting place and the television is their medium for relaxation and entertainment. Now if your channel can telecast my proposed list of programmes, it will cover the interest of everyone in the family. I hope my request is valid and logical enough to draw your attention. Please reconsider your current evening programmes which are being broadcast. Yours faithfully, Nilay Das
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Formal phrase Original: in regards to Suggested revision: regarding Why it matters: Regarding is more concise and idiomatic.
- 2. Broadcast wording Original: being telecast Suggested revision: being broadcast Why it matters: Broadcast is the more natural verb in this context.
- 3. Avoid redundancy Original: dull and less exciting Suggested revision: dull and repetitive Why it matters: The replacement gives two distinct criticisms.
- 4. Polite conditional Original: if you can reschedule Suggested revision: if you could reschedule Why it matters: Could is more appropriate for a formal request.
- 5. Plural category Original: in the category of soap opera Suggested revision: soap operas Why it matters: The schedule contains multiple programmes of this type.
- 6. Agreement Original: the target audiences are Suggested revision: the target audience is Why it matters: Audience is singular here.
- 7. Conditional tense Original: it would have been more captivating Suggested revision: it would be more appealing Why it matters: The proposal concerns a present or future schedule, not an unreal past.
- 8. Natural collocation Original: cover the interest of everyone Suggested revision: appeal to everyone Why it matters: Appeal to is the idiomatic expression.
- 9. Concise wording Original: As per the current schedule Suggested revision: Under the current schedule Why it matters: This is a more natural formal expression.
- 10. Avoid repetition Original: evening time Suggested revision: evening Why it matters: Time is unnecessary after evening here.
- 11. Broader range Original: this variety of programmes Suggested revision: this wider range of programmes Why it matters: A wider range clearly refers to the proposed mix of genres.
- 12. Natural family phrase Original: the reunion time Suggested revision: a time when families reunite Why it matters: The original noun phrase is unnatural in this context.
Suggested Rewrites
- in regards to regarding
- being telecast being broadcast
- dull and less exciting dull and repetitive
- if you can reschedule if you could reschedule
- in the category of soap opera soap operas
- the target audiences are the target audience is
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter fully addresses the complaint, proposes a varied replacement schedule, and explains convincingly how family programming could broaden audiences and advertising appeal. Its formal purpose and tone are generally effective. The main weakness is repetition and several awkward collocations or conditional forms, so condense the reasoning and use more natural broadcast vocabulary to make the request sharper and more professional.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
All three bullet points are fully developed with relevant detail and an appropriate request.
Condense the family-routine explanation so the central recommendation remains prominent.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically, but the response is presented as one long block and repeats evening programmes.
Use distinct paragraphs for complaint, alternatives, benefits and closing request.
Lexical Resource
There is enough range for the task, though several broadcast collocations are unnatural.
Use broadcast, schedule, audience and appeal in concise natural combinations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are generally controlled, with some conditional, agreement and article errors.
Keep hypothetical conditionals consistent and check singular/plural agreement.