You have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge receipt of a new bank card. However, the card was missing from the envelope. Write a letter to the bank's head office. In your letter: - explain why you are writing - express concern about the missing card - ask them what they intend to do
Same question Compare 2 different answersSample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to inform you that I have recently received a letter from your bank, and an envelop which was supposed to contain my new bank card. Unfortunately, no card was enclosed in the envelope when I opened it. I am hoping that you would issue me another card and hold the delivered one to stop any misuse. I have been maintaining a savings bank account with your Deportaire branch since 2018 and my account number is SA25874210. Immediately after the occurrence, I telephoned the bank to explain the problem, but I could not get through to the right department, even though I waited in line for over half an hour, which was extremely annoying. In the letter, you asked me to acknowledge the receipt of the card, but obviously, I cannot do this as I have not received it. I am now worried because the lost card might cause trouble. What if the card is misused? Will the bank be responsible for that? You should cancel or hold this card so no one else can use it. Please also send me a new card by secure means. I hope to hear from you soon. Yours faithfully, Beck Turner
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Remove unnecessary comma Original: bank, and Suggested revision: bank and Why it matters: The comma should not separate two coordinated noun phrases sharing the same verb.
- 2. Correct spelling Original: envelop Suggested revision: envelope Why it matters: The noun for the paper container is spelled “envelope”.
- 3. Use natural account phrase Original: have been maintaining a savings bank account Suggested revision: have held a savings account Why it matters: “Have held an account” is the more natural expression for an account continuing since 2018.
- 4. Name the event Original: Immediately after the occurrence Suggested revision: Immediately after discovering the card was missing Why it matters: Naming the event is clearer and less vague than “the occurrence”.
- 5. Keep a formal tone Original: extremely annoying Suggested revision: very frustrating Why it matters: “Very frustrating” expresses the concern in a more measured formal register.
- 6. Remove the article Original: acknowledge the receipt Suggested revision: acknowledge receipt Why it matters: The standard formal collocation is “acknowledge receipt” without an article.
- 7. Sentence rewrite Original: I am hoping that you would issue me another card and hold the delivered one to stop any misuse. Suggested revision: I hope you will issue me another card and block the missing one to prevent any misuse. Why it matters: This rewrite corrects the conditional form and uses precise banking vocabulary.
- 8. Sentence rewrite Original: What if the card is misused? Will the bank be responsible for that? Suggested revision: I am concerned that the card may be misused and would like confirmation of whether the bank would be responsible. Why it matters: A direct formal statement communicates the concern more appropriately than rhetorical questions.
- 9. Organise the letter Suggested revision: Separate the background, security concern, requested actions, and sign-off into distinct letter paragraphs. Why it matters: The single-block format makes the sequence of information and requests harder to follow.
Suggested Rewrites
- bank, and bank and
- envelop envelope
- have been maintaining a savings bank account have held a savings account
- Immediately after the occurrence Immediately after discovering the card was missing
- extremely annoying very frustrating
- acknowledge the receipt acknowledge receipt
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter has a clear formal purpose and covers the missing card, the resulting security concern, and the action expected from the bank in useful detail. The main limitation is presentation and precision: the response is not visibly paragraphed, and a few word choices are inaccurate or more confrontational than necessary. Prioritise a calm, professional request and organise the complaint into distinct paragraphs.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All three bullet points are fully addressed with relevant account details, explicit concern, and clear requests for cancellation and replacement.
Maintain a consistently measured formal tone by replacing the rhetorical questions and "extremely annoying" with a concise statement of concern.
Coherence and Cohesion
The information follows a clear sequence, but the absence of paragraphing weakens the visual organisation of the letter.
Separate the opening explanation, attempted contact and concern, and requested action into distinct paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a good range of appropriate banking and security vocabulary, despite a few inaccurate choices and a spelling error.
Use precise forms such as "envelope," "cancel the missing card," and "issue a replacement" rather than "hold the delivered one".
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Sentence structures are varied and mostly well controlled, with only occasional non-impeding errors in articles and phrasing.
Refine article and clause control in expressions such as "received a letter from your bank, and an envelope" and "I am hoping that you would issue".
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge receipt of a new bank card. However, the card was missing from the envelope. Write a letter to the bank's head office. In your letter:
- explain why you are writing
- express concern about the missing card
- ask them what they intend to do
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.