People in your area are having problems with their internet connection. Write a letter to the company which provides the connection. In your letter: - describe the problems - explain how it is affecting people - say what the company should do to help
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to express my discontent with the internet connection that your company provides in our area. The disruptive internet connection is causing a great problem for us, and I am hoping that you would resolve it as soon as possible. Your company is supposed to provide technology that guarantees an uninterrupted internet connection. However, this does not seem to be the case. For the last couple of weeks, we have been experiencing extremely slow connectivity, and sometimes the internet is totally inaccessible. During peak hours, the internet speed is as slow as a few KB per second only! Many people in our area, including my husband, work from home, and a disruptive internet connection means they are unable to work. Due to poor connectivity, they can not send finished assignments to their clients on time. Frequent disconnections also affect people who do video conferencing online. Besides, we are often unable to do online shopping, send important emails and pay utility bills online. I expected that your staff would deal with the situation with utmost importance without any delay, but no meaningful action was taken so far. So, please send your staff to come over and check if you need to install new cables since they might be fairly old. Take any other measure necessary to resolve the slow connectivity. We are expecting a prompt resolution from you. Yours faithfully, Rebecca Porter
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural complaint wording Original: discontent Suggested revision: dissatisfaction Why it matters: “Dissatisfaction” is the more natural noun for a formal service complaint.
- 2. Choose precise wording Original: disruptive Suggested revision: unreliable Why it matters: “Unreliable” describes a connection that is slow or repeatedly unavailable more precisely.
- 3. Use natural collocation Original: causing a great problem Suggested revision: causing serious problems Why it matters: “Causing serious problems” is a more natural collocation and matches the multiple effects described.
- 4. Name the service Original: provide technology that guarantees Suggested revision: provide a service that guarantees Why it matters: The company provides an internet service rather than technology in this context.
- 5. Fix adverb position Original: as slow as a few KB per second only Suggested revision: as slow as only a few KB per second Why it matters: “Only” should precede the quantity it limits.
- 6. Use one-word form Original: can not send Suggested revision: cannot send Why it matters: The standard spelling of this modal negative is “cannot”.
- 7. Use natural collocation Original: do video conferencing online Suggested revision: participate in video conferences Why it matters: “Participate in video conferences” is more idiomatic and avoids the redundant “online”.
- 8. Fix the collocation Original: deal with the situation with utmost importance Suggested revision: treat the situation as a matter of utmost importance Why it matters: A situation is treated as important rather than dealt with “with importance”.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: So, please send your staff to come over and check if you need to install new cables since they might be fairly old. Suggested revision: Please send your staff to inspect the connection and determine whether the old cables need replacing. Why it matters: This removes the unclear pronouns and states the requested action more directly.
Suggested Rewrites
- discontent dissatisfaction
- disruptive unreliable
- causing a great problem causing serious problems
- provide technology that guarantees provide a service that guarantees
- as slow as a few KB per second only as slow as only a few KB per second
- can not send cannot send
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter’s strongest feature is its complete, specific coverage of the connection problems, their practical effects, and the action requested, all in an appropriately firm formal tone. Its main limitation is presentation as one continuous block, alongside a few slightly awkward collocations and tense choices. The highest-priority improvement is to divide the message into clear purpose, impact, and request paragraphs while polishing those isolated language lapses.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The letter fully achieves its purpose, covers all three bullet points with relevant detail, and maintains a suitably formal tone.
Make the proposed remedy even more precise by requesting a technical inspection and a stated timeframe for resolution.
Coherence and Cohesion
The information progresses logically from complaint to effects and requested action, with cohesive links supporting a clear message despite the single-block presentation.
Separate the opening purpose, description and effects, and requested solution into distinct paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
A broad and generally precise vocabulary conveys the technical problem and its consequences effectively, although a few collocations are slightly unnatural.
Replace awkward phrases such as “disruptive internet connection” and “with utmost importance” with more natural formal alternatives.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex sentences is used with strong control, and the few errors do not impede communication.
Refine isolated tense and modal choices, especially the shift between “I expected” and “no meaningful action was taken so far.”
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
People in your area are having problems with their internet connection. Write a letter to the company which provides the connection. In your letter:
- describe the problems
- explain how it is affecting people
- say what the company should do to help
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.