You have just spent a weekend staying at the Lilo Hotel in Adelaide. When you got home, you find that you have left a bag at the hotel. Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter: - introduce yourself - describe the bag and its content - describe how you left your bag and what action you would expect from him/her
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
I stayed at your Lilo Hotel in Adelaide from 2nd to 5th April 2025 in room 254. I am writing for your assistance in finding the bag that I have left in the room during my stay at your hotel. Firstly, I am gratified to have outstanding service at your hotel. I really enjoyed it and I would definitely like to come again. Now, I would like you to help me locate my bag. It is a black bag and has blue stripes on both ends with two zippers attached to it. The bag that I left at your hotel contains some important documents and some of my personal belongings including contact cards, a few dresses, pens and a diary. You are already aware of the fact that I visited Adelaide to attend a professional meeting. To keep pace with my colleagues, I hurried to check out and left the bag in the closet. Please check with your lost and found department about the bag and inform me at your earliest so that I can come to pick my bag. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully, Fahad Sultan
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Hotel name Original: your Lilo Hotel Suggested revision: the Lilo Hotel Why it matters: Use "the" before the hotel name in this context.
- 2. Request phrase Original: I am writing for your assistance Suggested revision: I am writing to ask for your assistance Why it matters: This is the standard request pattern.
- 3. Tense choice Original: the bag that I have left Suggested revision: the bag that I left Why it matters: Simple past is natural for the completed action.
- 4. Unnatural praise Original: Firstly, I am gratified Suggested revision: First, I was pleased Why it matters: This sounds natural and avoids over-formal wording.
- 5. Service phrase Original: have outstanding service Suggested revision: receive outstanding service Why it matters: Use "receive" with "service".
- 6. Direct transition Original: Now, I would like you to help me locate my bag. Suggested revision: I would now like to describe the bag. Why it matters: This links more clearly to the next details.
- 7. Parallel structure Original: It is a black bag and has blue stripes Suggested revision: It is a black bag with blue stripes Why it matters: This is smoother and avoids repeating the verb.
- 8. Concise detail Original: with two zippers attached to it Suggested revision: and two zippers Why it matters: The shorter phrase is clearer.
- 9. Avoid filler Original: some of my personal belongings Suggested revision: personal belongings Why it matters: "Some of my" is unnecessary before the list.
- 10. Natural item Original: a few dresses Suggested revision: a few items of clothing Why it matters: This is more natural for bag contents.
- 11. Remove assumption Original: You are already aware of the fact Suggested revision: Delete Why it matters: The manager may not be aware of this, and the phrase adds unnecessary wordiness.
- 12. Fixed expression Original: inform me at your earliest Suggested revision: inform me at your earliest convenience Why it matters: This is the correct formal expression.
Suggested Rewrites
- your Lilo Hotel the Lilo Hotel
- I am writing for your assistance I am writing to ask for your assistance
- the bag that I have left the bag that I left
- Firstly, I am gratified First, I was pleased
- have outstanding service receive outstanding service
- Now, I would like you to help me locate my bag. I would now like to describe the bag.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The letter introduces the stay, describes the bag and contents, explains how it was left, and asks the manager to check lost and found. The purpose is clear and the expected action is relevant.
Add a phone number or email address and a preferred collection method to make the requested action more complete.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically sequenced from stay details to bag description, contents, reason it was left, and request. Cohesion is weakened by one unnecessary compliment section and some dense one-paragraph formatting after the greeting.
Keep the compliment brief and use separate paragraphs for stay details, bag description, and requested action.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is suitable overall, but some phrases are unnatural, such as "gratified to have outstanding service" and "inform me at your earliest". The bag description is clear enough.
Use standard service and lost-property phrases such as "I was pleased with the service" and "at your earliest convenience".
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Most grammar is clear, but article use, tense, and preposition choices are inconsistent. Errors do not prevent understanding, but they reduce polish.
Check present perfect use for the lost bag and prepositions in phrases such as "assistance with" and "pick up".