You share a room in a college with another student. You find it difficult to study and work there because your roommate has friends and parties in the room and sometimes borrows your things without asking. Write a letter to the Accommodation Officer. In your letter: - explain the problems with your current room - ask for a new room next term - say that you would prefer a single room and explain why
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to express my utter dissatisfaction with my current college accommodation, mainly due to my housemate's absurd routine that severely disrupts my studies. I am hoping you would kindly allow me to move into a single room next term so that I can study properly and live harmoniously. As you know, I stay in room 625 with a roommate in our college's science block. The room is nice and spacious. However, my roommate has a wide social circle and he invites visitors almost daily, which makes the room overcrowded. Besides, he holds parties now and then, which often last till midnight or early morning. This makes it impossible for me to focus on my studies. To make the situation worse, he uses my belonging even without asking and often damages them. I hope this matter will receive your immediate attention as it is seriously hampering my studies. I would appreciate it if you could arrange a single room for me from the beginning of the next semester as I have a habit of studying in a silent atmosphere. Thanking you in advance for your kind cooperation. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully, Mansoor Afzal
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use measured formal tone Original: utter dissatisfaction Suggested revision: serious concern Why it matters: Serious concern remains firm without sounding unnecessarily extreme in a request to an officer.
- 2. Describe behaviour neutrally Original: housemate's absurd routine Suggested revision: roommate's disruptive behaviour Why it matters: The replacement uses the task's relationship term and avoids an inflammatory judgement.
- 3. Fix the hope construction Original: I am hoping you would kindly allow me Suggested revision: I hope you will kindly allow me Why it matters: Hope about the officer's future decision naturally takes the present form with will.
- 4. Clarify the single-room benefit Original: live harmoniously Suggested revision: live and study without disruption Why it matters: The replacement states the intended benefit of a single room more precisely.
- 5. Use a neutral transition Original: As you know Suggested revision: For context Why it matters: For context introduces information without assuming the officer already knows the room details.
- 6. Use the natural residence verb Original: stay Suggested revision: live Why it matters: Live is the natural verb for permanent college accommodation.
- 7. Use formal frequency wording Original: now and then Suggested revision: occasionally Why it matters: Occasionally is more concise and suitably formal for this complaint.
- 8. Use the plural noun Original: belonging Suggested revision: belongings Why it matters: Belongings is the plural noun used for personal possessions.
- 9. State the need naturally Original: a habit of studying in a silent atmosphere Suggested revision: a need for a quiet study environment Why it matters: The replacement explains the practical reason for requesting a single room more naturally.
- 10. Complete the closing sentence Original: Thanking Suggested revision: Thank Why it matters: The finite verb thank forms a complete sentence, unlike the participial opening.
Suggested Rewrites
- utter dissatisfaction serious concern
- housemate's absurd routine roommate's disruptive behaviour
- I am hoping you would kindly allow me I hope you will kindly allow me
- live harmoniously live and study without disruption
- As you know For context
- stay live
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter presents the disturbances, requested move and reason for preferring a single room clearly, with specific supporting details and an appropriately firm purpose. The main limitation is that "absurd routine" sounds unnecessarily accusatory, while the one-block format and a few grammar slips reduce polish. Adopt neutral complaint language, divide the letter by function and correct forms such as "belongings" and "I hope you will."
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
Every bullet point is developed with relevant detail, though one insulting description weakens the otherwise suitable formal tone.
Describe the roommate's behaviour neutrally and focus on its effects on study, sleep and personal property.
Coherence and Cohesion
The progression from complaint to examples and the single-room request is clear, but the lack of paragraphs makes the structure less visible.
Separate the opening request, current problems and justification for a single room into three focused paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a flexible range for accommodation and study problems, with only a few unsuitable or imprecise choices.
Replace "absurd routine" with "disruptive behaviour" and "silent atmosphere" with "quiet environment."
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are generally accurate and easy to follow, although a few agreement and form errors remain.
Use plural "belongings," replace "I am hoping you would" with "I hope you will," and avoid the fragment "Thanking you in advance."
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You share a room in a college with another student. You find it difficult to study and work there because your roommate has friends and parties in the room and sometimes borrows your things without asking. Write a letter to the Accommodation Officer. In your letter:
- explain the problems with your current room
- ask for a new room next term
- say that you would prefer a single room and explain why
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.