You recently went shopping at the local supermarket. When you got home and checked your bill, you found that you had been charged for items you did not purchase. Write a letter to the supermarket manager. In your letter: - explain what has happened - say how you feel about the error - say what you would like the manager to do about it
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am Emma Ariana, a frequent shopper of your supermarketyour mega mall. Yesterday I went to your mall located in Rainbow Complex and purchased a few items. However, after I returned home and checkednoticed my bill, I was concernedbewildered as I was chargedbilled for items that I hadhave not purchased! I hope you willwould rectify the error made by one of your employees. To provide the purchase detailsIn relation to the specifics of the purchase, I bought a pair of sandals, a towel, a bottle of shampoo, a coffee mug, a box of chocolate, cat food, shower gel and some packagedpacketed foods, for which I have been billed and an additional $115in addition 115 dollars for items I did not purchaseitems I have not picked at all! My invoice number is MR8-C1254, dated 15th May 2025, and the invoice amount is $247. It shows that I have purchased a large flower vasevessel, a doormat and a water purifier! This must be a mistake! I was in a hurry and did not cross-check the items against the bill while checking outchecking out from the queue. However, I believeBut I am sure the cashiersalesgirl, whose name is Marinda, made an errorhad made some sort of mistake while printing my invoice. I would like you to refund the extra amount next time I visit your shop and make sure this error does not recurthis unwanted situation does not repeat. Yours faithfully, Emma Ariana
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter explains the billing problem thoroughly, gives precise invoice and item details, expresses understandable concern, and requests both a refund and prevention of recurrence. Its main limitation is tone: repeated exclamation marks and direct blame of a named employee sound more accusatory than necessary, while a few tense choices are inconsistent. Prioritise a calm, professional complaint that requests investigation before assigning responsibility.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All three required points are fully addressed with specific evidence and a clear remedy, though the accusatory wording and exclamation marks slightly weaken the formal tone.
Ask the manager to investigate the discrepancy and issue a refund without assuming that a particular employee caused it.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter progresses logically from the discovery to invoice evidence, explanation, and requested action, although the single dense paragraph and long purchase list reduce readability.
Use separate paragraphs for the problem, supporting invoice details, and requested resolution.
Lexical Resource
A good range of complaint and transaction vocabulary conveys the situation precisely, with only occasional awkward choices such as 'mega mall,' 'flower vessel,' and 'unwanted situation.'
Prefer neutral terms such as 'supermarket,' 'vase,' 'billing discrepancy,' and 'similar error.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Most complex sentences are controlled and meaning is consistently clear, though tense sequencing and a few overloaded constructions contain errors.
Maintain past perfect where appropriate for unpurchased items and divide the long sentence listing purchases and extra charges.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You recently went shopping at the local supermarket. When you got home and checked your bill, you found that you had been charged for items you did not purchase. Write a letter to the supermarket manager. In your letter:
- explain what has happened
- say how you feel about the error
- say what you would like the manager to do about it
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.