You recently attended a meeting at a hotel. When you returned home, you found you had left some important papers at the hotel. Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter: - say where you think you left the papers - explain why they are so important - tell the manager what you want him/her to do
Same question Compare all 2 answers See different approaches and band scores for this IELTS task.Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing this letter to seek your assistance regarding some important documents that I accidentally left behind after attending a meeting at your hotel yesterday. I am hoping that you will assist me in finding those documents as soon as possible.
I attended a business meeting in the Maple Conference Room on the second floor of your hotel from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. I believe I may have left my folder containing the documents on the table near the projector when we wrapped up the session. The folder is black with a silver clip, and it contains several printed reports and handwritten notes.
The issue with these documents is that they contain confidential business information related to an upcoming corporate project. Losing them could cause significant inconvenience for my team, as we have a presentation scheduled next week based on those reports.
I would appreciate it if you could check the conference room and your lost-and-found department for the folder. If it has been found, I would be grateful if you could either hold onto it until I collect it or arrange for it to be sent to my office.
Please let me know at your earliest convenience. I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
William Scott
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Remove redundancy Original: writing this letter Suggested revision: writing Why it matters: The word “letter” is unnecessary because the format is already clear.
- 2. Use concise wording Original: assist me in finding those documents Suggested revision: help me locate them Why it matters: This is more concise while retaining the formal request.
- 3. Use formal tone Original: when we wrapped up the session Suggested revision: when the session ended Why it matters: The revision is less conversational and better suited to a hotel manager.
- 4. Make wording direct Original: The issue with these documents is that they contain Suggested revision: These documents contain Why it matters: The shorter construction states the importance of the documents more directly.
- 5. Choose precise impact Original: significant inconvenience for my team Suggested revision: significant disruption to my team Why it matters: “Disruption” more precisely describes the effect on the team's scheduled work.
- 6. Avoid repetition Original: based on those reports Suggested revision: based on them Why it matters: The pronoun avoids repeating “reports” while keeping the reference clear.
- 7. Use formal wording Original: hold onto it Suggested revision: keep it securely Why it matters: This is more formal and makes the requested handling of the confidential folder clearer.
- 8. Avoid repeated urgency Original: your prompt response Suggested revision: your response Why it matters: The preceding request for action at the earliest convenience already conveys urgency.
Suggested Rewrites
- writing this letter writing
- assist me in finding those documents help me locate them
- when we wrapped up the session when the session ended
- The issue with these documents is that they contain These documents contain
- significant inconvenience for my team significant disruption to my team
- based on those reports based on them
Why this response received Band 8.5
The letter is strongest in its precise, fully developed coverage of every request: it identifies the likely location and folder, explains the commercial importance, and gives the manager practical options. The only meaningful limitation is minor repetition of "documents" and "folder" in an otherwise polished response. A little more lexical variation and a contact detail for arranging return would make it even more complete.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, every bullet point is fully developed with specific relevant detail, and the formal tone is consistently appropriate.
Add a phone number or email address so the hotel can act on the otherwise complete request without delay.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter is very clearly sequenced, with each well-focused paragraph handling a distinct communicative function and cohesive links used naturally.
For further refinement, shorten the opening slightly because the purpose is restated in two consecutive sentences.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is precise, natural, and appropriately formal, with effective phrases such as "confidential business information" and "at your earliest convenience."
Vary repeated references to the documents and folder where doing so would remain clear.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of simple and complex structures is controlled with excellent accuracy throughout the letter.
Maintain this accuracy while experimenting with slightly more concise phrasing in the request paragraph.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You recently attended a meeting at a hotel. When you returned home, you found you had left some important papers at the hotel. Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter:
- say where you think you left the papers
- explain why they are so important
- tell the manager what you want him/her to do
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.