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 to you to express my dissatisfaction with the evening programs that are telecast on television and which are boring to watch.
To be honest, the melodrama, as well as action movies that telecast regularly, don’t make me stress less instead exaggerate my stress. In addition, my little daughter gets bored and demand more cartoon programs at that time.
I would like to see comedy programs as well as cartoon movies in the evening. In addition, jungle book has always been one of my favorite TV series, and I hope it would be telecast again in the evening as I would be at my workplace in the morning.
Furthermore, these programs are better because I get an opportunity to rejuvenate myself as well, as it would be better for my daughter to enjoy her favorite cartoons. After all, she gets irritated by watching the news or sports. So, these programs would help us a lot to enjoy each other’s company. Prior to that, it was a herculean task for us to spend time with each other.
I hope you would ponder over my request and help me in reviving the above-mentioned programs to enjoy evening time.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours Faithfully,
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Name the broadcaster Original: telecast on television Suggested revision: broadcast by your station Why it matters: The original wording is redundant and does not connect the programmes directly to the recipient’s station.
- 2. Clarify the relationship Original: and which are boring to watch Suggested revision: because I find them boring Why it matters: The revision links the writer’s dissatisfaction directly to the reason for it.
- 3. Match subject and verb Original: demand Suggested revision: demands Why it matters: The singular subject ‘daughter’ requires a singular verb.
- 4. Capitalize the title Original: jungle book Suggested revision: The Jungle Book Why it matters: The words in this programme title require capitalization and the initial article.
- 5. Use natural broadcast verb Original: would be telecast Suggested revision: could be broadcast Why it matters: The revision expresses the requested possibility more naturally.
- 6. Use concise wording Original: at my workplace Suggested revision: at work Why it matters: ‘At work’ is the natural concise phrase for this routine situation.
- 7. Match the stated reaction Original: gets irritated by watching Suggested revision: becomes bored when watching Why it matters: This wording connects the daughter’s reaction more precisely to the unsuitable programmes.
- 8. Correct help pattern Original: help us a lot to enjoy Suggested revision: help us enjoy Why it matters: The verb ‘help’ can take the object followed directly by the base verb.
- 9. Clarify the time link Original: Prior to that Suggested revision: Previously Why it matters: The original phrase has no clear preceding event for ‘that’ to refer to.
- 10. Use appropriate register Original: herculean Suggested revision: very difficult Why it matters: The simpler phrase fits the formal request without sounding exaggerated.
- 11. Use direct request verb Original: ponder over Suggested revision: consider Why it matters: ‘Consider’ is clearer and more natural in a formal request.
- 12. Correct verb pattern Original: help me in reviving Suggested revision: help me bring back Why it matters: The revised verb pattern is grammatical and expresses restoring the programmes clearly.
Suggested Rewrites
- telecast on television broadcast by your station
- and which are boring to watch because I find them boring
- demand demands
- jungle book The Jungle Book
- would be telecast could be broadcast
- at my workplace at work
Why this response received Band 6.5
The letter addresses every bullet point in a clear, appropriately formal structure and explains how the proposed programmes would benefit both the writer and his daughter. The main limitation is recurring grammatical and collocational inaccuracy, despite a reasonably varied vocabulary. The highest priority is to revise verb forms and sentence construction so the recommendations sound consistently natural and professional.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear, all three bullet points are developed, and the formal tone is generally appropriate for writing to a television station manager.
Make the requested scheduling changes more specific and remove the less relevant retrospective comment near the end.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response follows a logical problem-suggestion-benefit structure with clear paragraphing, although some linking is repetitive or imprecise.
Use fewer formulaic connectors and ensure references such as 'Prior to that' point clearly to an earlier idea.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is sufficiently varied to discuss programmes, stress, and family benefits, but several collocations are awkward or inaccurate.
Use more natural phrases such as 'help me relax,' 'increase my stress,' and 'bring back these programmes.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response attempts varied sentence structures, but recurring subject-verb agreement, passive-form, punctuation, and clause errors reduce accuracy.
Focus first on complete passive structures and agreement, for example 'movies that are broadcast' and 'my daughter demands.'
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
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
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.