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 was delivered an empty envelope which was supposed to carry my debit card issued by the Northshire branch of your City Bank. Since I have not received any card, I can not acknowledge its acquisition. I am hoping you would investigate how this happened and issue me a new card. Also, take measured to stop any misuse of the lost card. I have been maintaining a checking account with your Lordshire branch since 2017 and my account number is CKL-54785120145. Recently, I requested a new silver debit card and when I opened the envelope yesterday, I noticed that the card was missing! Now I am concerned about the whereabouts of the card. If it goes to the wrong hand, it might be misused. To stop such an incident, please stop the issued card as soon as possible. I would like you to investigate the reason for such an unexpected incident. Also, issue me a similar new card and this time allow me to fetch it from my branch instead of sending it via a courier. Thank you in advance and I would like to hear from you soon. Yours faithfully, Alex Ryan
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Correct passive construction Original: I was delivered an empty envelope Suggested revision: I received an empty envelope Why it matters: The recipient receives the envelope; the original passive construction incorrectly makes the person the delivered object.
- 2. Use precise container verb Original: carry Suggested revision: contain Why it matters: An envelope “contains” a card rather than “carries” it.
- 3. Join cannot Original: can not acknowledge Suggested revision: cannot acknowledge Why it matters: The standard spelling of the modal negative is one word.
- 4. Align verb forms Original: I am hoping you would investigate Suggested revision: I hope you will investigate Why it matters: The simple present with “will” states the formal request clearly and consistently.
- 5. Correct word form Original: measured Suggested revision: measures Why it matters: The required noun in the fixed phrase is the plural “measures”.
- 6. Use plural idiom Original: hand Suggested revision: hands Why it matters: The fixed expression is “fall into the wrong hands”.
- 7. Use banking term Original: stop Suggested revision: cancel Why it matters: Banks “cancel” a missing card to prevent its use.
- 8. Use formal collection verb Original: fetch Suggested revision: collect Why it matters: “Collect” is the natural formal verb for receiving a card at a branch.
- 9. Name bank directly Original: your City Bank Suggested revision: City Bank Why it matters: The possessive determiner is unnecessary before the bank’s proper name.
- 10. Use natural account phrase Original: have been maintaining a checking account Suggested revision: have held a checking account Why it matters: Customers normally “hold” an account rather than “maintain” one in this context.
- 11. Use formal punctuation Original: the card was missing! Suggested revision: the card was missing. Why it matters: A full stop is more appropriate than an exclamation mark in this formal complaint.
- 12. Show logical result Original: Now I am concerned Suggested revision: I am therefore concerned Why it matters: “Therefore” explicitly links the missing card to the customer’s concern.
Suggested Rewrites
- I was delivered an empty envelope I received an empty envelope
- carry contain
- can not acknowledge cannot acknowledge
- I am hoping you would investigate I hope you will investigate
- measured measures
- hand hands
Why this response received Band 6.5
The letter establishes the problem immediately, explains the security concern, and requests practical action in a suitably formal manner. However, repeated information and frequent awkward word choices reduce precision, while several grammatical slips weaken the otherwise clear message. The highest priority is to use accurate banking collocations and concise, grammatically complete requests for cancellation, investigation, and replacement.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose, concern about misuse, and requested response are all clearly presented with relevant supporting details.
Keep the branch details consistent and frame the requested actions as a concise question or clearly ordered set of requests.
Coherence and Cohesion
The message follows a generally logical order, but the missing-card explanation and requested actions are repeated within one long paragraph.
Use separate paragraphs for the incident, the security concern, and the requested resolution, removing duplicated points.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is adequate for the situation and includes some less common terms, but several inaccurate collocations reduce naturalness.
Replace phrases such as acknowledge its acquisition, take measured, and stop the issued card with receive the card, take measures, and cancel the card.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response mixes simple and complex forms with generally clear meaning, although several construction and agreement errors remain noticeable.
Correct forms such as I was sent an empty envelope and take measures, and avoid sentence fragments beginning with Also.
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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.