There have been some problems with public transport in your area recently. Write to the manager of the local transport company. In your letter: - describe the problems - explain how they affect people - where you live - suggest some changes.
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am Ankitha, a software engineer. I regularly utilize public transport for my everyday commute. I am writing this epistle to bring it to your notice regarding a few challenges faced by the people in our vicinity in availing of road transportation.
Let me expound on the issues explicitly. Firstly, the majority of the conductors are not turning on the air-conditioner during the journey, which eventually leads to a filthy smell, and this is creating cumbersome consequences for numerous passengers. Subsequently, the functioning timings of buses are irregular and are not operated according to the timetable.
Therefore, on behalf of all the travellers, I humbly request to inform all conductors to switch on the air-conditioning for a peaceful journey and avoid ventilatory problems due to the foul smell. Similarly, it is challenging to reach our respective destinations on time if there is no appropriate schedule, and I propound to inform all drivers to abide by the schedule which is given to the individuals.
Additionally, please arrange for a few additional buses during peak hours such that we can overcome the excess crowd in the public transport and have a travel-filled with tranquillity.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use plain formal wording Original: utilize Suggested revision: use Why it matters: “Use” is clearer and fully appropriate in a formal complaint.
- 2. Avoid archaic wording Original: epistle Suggested revision: letter Why it matters: “Epistle” sounds archaic and unnatural in a modern business letter.
- 3. Fix attention phrase Original: bring it to your notice regarding Suggested revision: bring to your attention Why it matters: The original phrase combines two incompatible grammatical patterns.
- 4. Use natural transport phrase Original: in availing of road transportation Suggested revision: when using local buses Why it matters: This wording expresses the affected activity clearly and naturally.
- 5. Use concise wording Original: expound on the issues explicitly Suggested revision: explain the issues clearly Why it matters: The revision is formal without sounding unnecessarily elaborate.
- 6. Use concise quantifier Original: the majority of the conductors Suggested revision: most conductors Why it matters: “Most conductors” conveys the same meaning more directly.
- 7. Use habitual present Original: are not turning on Suggested revision: do not turn on Why it matters: The present simple is appropriate for a recurring service problem.
- 8. Name the system correctly Original: the air-conditioner Suggested revision: the air conditioning Why it matters: The letter refers to the bus’s cooling system rather than a standalone appliance.
- 9. Use suitable complaint tone Original: a filthy smell Suggested revision: an unpleasant smell Why it matters: “Unpleasant” communicates the problem clearly in a formal complaint.
- 10. Use simple present Original: this is creating Suggested revision: this causes Why it matters: The simple present matches the recurring nature of the problem.
- 11. Use precise impact Original: cumbersome consequences Suggested revision: considerable discomfort Why it matters: “Cumbersome consequences” is an unnatural collocation for passengers’ experience.
- 12. Use service terminology Original: functioning timings Suggested revision: operating times Why it matters: “Operating times” is the standard phrase for a transport schedule.
Suggested Rewrites
- utilize use
- epistle letter
- bring it to your notice regarding bring to your attention
- in availing of road transportation when using local buses
- expound on the issues explicitly explain the issues clearly
- the majority of the conductors most conductors
Why this response received Band 6.0
The letter presents specific transport problems, explains their effects, and proposes practical changes in a suitably formal structure. The main task limitation is that it never states where the writer lives, while its heavily formal and sometimes inaccurate word choices make several requests sound unnatural; the highest-priority improvement is to add the missing location explicitly and express each complaint and solution in direct, conventional language.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose, problems, effects, and suggested changes are developed, but the required information about where the writer lives is omitted.
State the exact neighbourhood or area near the beginning and connect each suggested change directly to a described problem.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter is logically organized into introduction, problems, requests, and a closing, though some linking is mechanical.
Use simpler transitions and divide the longest sentences so each problem-effect-solution sequence is immediately clear.
Lexical Resource
The writer demonstrates range, but frequent strained choices such as 'epistle,' 'cumbersome consequences,' and 'propound' reduce naturalness and precision.
Replace overly elaborate vocabulary with standard formal expressions such as 'letter,' 'serious inconvenience,' and 'suggest.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Several complex structures are attempted, but recurring errors in verb patterns, prepositions, and clause construction limit accuracy.
Practise accurate request patterns such as 'I request that you instruct' and check prepositions in common transport phrases.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
There have been some problems with public transport in your area recently. Write to the manager of the local transport company. In your letter:
- describe the problems
- explain how they affect people
- where you live
- suggest some changes.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.