You missed a flight due to a problem at the airport. Write a letter to the airline. In your letter: - say when and where the problem happened? - Describe how you missed the flight? - Say what you want the airline to do?
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am Ankitha, a software engineer. I am writing this epistle to express my discontent with an issue at the Delhi Airport. Consequently, I missed my flight due to the hurdle.
Let me expound on the problem. Yesterday at 7 PM, I had to travel from Delhi to Sydney, and the ticket was reserved by one of the managers at my workplace. After reaching the airport, I successfully completed my check-in and immigration check. As a business class passenger, I had additional privileges to relax for two hours in the airline lounge of airlines till I boarded the flight.
Furthermore, I was served delicious refreshments upon my arrival. Unfortunately, the dinner which was served was too oily and spicy, which eventually led to pain in my stomach. I started to feel uncomfortable, and I informed the airline employees immediately. They called an emergency doctor at the airport. He mentioned that I had food poisoning as a result of consuming spicy food. Although he prescribed some medication, he asked me not to proceed with my journey as it could deteriorate my health further.
Therefore, I was unable to proceed with my commute and had to postpone my trip for next week. I request you to have a discussion with the culinary staff members and address them regarding this and make the required changes to the supper which is served to customers so that they will enjoy your service with tranquillity.
Thank you for your consideration, and I hope this problem will be resolved at the earliest.
Yours faithfully,
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural wording Original: epistle Suggested revision: letter Why it matters: ‘Letter’ is the natural term for this formal complaint.
- 2. Clarify the complaint Original: discontent with an issue Suggested revision: dissatisfaction with a problem Why it matters: The original collocation is awkward and obscures the focus of the complaint.
- 3. Use a clear reference Original: the hurdle Suggested revision: this problem Why it matters: ‘Hurdle’ is vague and unnatural for referring to the airport incident.
- 4. Use direct wording Original: expound on Suggested revision: explain Why it matters: ‘Explain’ is clearer and more natural in a complaint letter.
- 5. Describe the schedule Original: had to travel Suggested revision: was due to travel Why it matters: This phrasing more precisely describes a scheduled journey.
- 6. Use travel collocation Original: reserved Suggested revision: booked Why it matters: Flights and tickets are normally described as booked.
- 7. Use natural phrasing Original: check Suggested revision: procedures Why it matters: This is a more natural description of the airport process.
- 8. Remove repetition Original: dinner which was served Suggested revision: dinner served Why it matters: The reduced relative clause avoids unnecessary repetition without changing the meaning.
- 9. Use natural collocation Original: led to pain in my stomach Suggested revision: caused stomach pain Why it matters: ‘Cause stomach pain’ is the standard concise collocation.
- 10. Use concise wording Original: employees Suggested revision: staff Why it matters: ‘Airline staff’ is the more natural collective term in this context.
- 11. Correct the term Original: an emergency doctor Suggested revision: a doctor Why it matters: ‘Emergency doctor’ is not a natural label for the person who was called.
- 12. Use reporting verb Original: mentioned Suggested revision: said Why it matters: ‘Said’ is the natural verb for reporting the doctor's diagnosis.
Suggested Rewrites
- epistle letter
- discontent with an issue dissatisfaction with a problem
- the hurdle this problem
- expound on explain
- had to travel was due to travel
- reserved booked
Why this response received Band 6.5
The letter is well organised and gives a clear, detailed account of when the airport problem occurred, how the writer became unable to travel, and what action the airline should take. Its main limitation is repeatedly strained or overly formal wording, which sometimes makes otherwise clear ideas sound unnatural. The highest priority is to replace embellished expressions with precise, conventional language for a formal complaint.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear, all three bullet points are covered with relevant detail, and the formal tone is generally appropriate.
Make the requested remedy more direct and practical by clearly stating the exact action expected from the airline.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the travel context through the illness to the requested response, with effective paragraphing.
Use linking expressions more selectively so that transitions sound natural rather than mechanically signposted.
Lexical Resource
The letter shows a good vocabulary range, but several choices such as epistle, hurdle, commute, and tranquillity are unnatural in context.
Prioritise accurate complaint-letter collocations and straightforward wording over uncommon vocabulary used for effect.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A variety of complex structures is used successfully, although awkward modification, prepositions, and coordination cause recurring lapses.
Edit long sentences for cleaner clause relationships and check prepositions in phrases such as postponing a trip until a later date.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You missed a flight due to a problem at the airport. Write a letter to the airline. In your letter:
- say when and where the problem happened?
- Describe how you missed the flight?
- Say what you want the airline to do?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.