There is a problem with the changing rooms in the sports centre that you visit. You have complained several times but with no success. Write a letter to the manager of the sports centre. In your letter: - Describe what the problem with the changing rooms is - Say what happened the last times you complained - Explain what you want the manager to do
Sample Response
Dear Mrs. Aura,
I am writing this letter to you to complain about the changing rooms in the gym. The door locks of the stalls have holes which are big enough for people from outside to peep into if they want to. This makes me extremely uncomfortable every time I get changed as I feel like my privacy can be invaded at any moment.
Prior to this letter I have sent out five more emails but received no response. I believe this is too serious of an issue to be ignored and I am left with no other option but to terminate my gym membership if this problem persists.
I sincerely hope you can see into this problem. A good solution would be to replace all the locks with more secure ones and make sure that the changing stalls are completely enclosed and private.
I am looking forward to receiving your response.
Yours sincerely,
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Make the purpose concise Original: writing this letter to you to complain Suggested revision: writing to complain Why it matters: The shorter phrase states the purpose directly and formally.
- 2. Match the task venue Original: changing rooms in the gym Suggested revision: changing rooms at the sports centre Why it matters: Using the venue named in the task keeps the complaint precise.
- 3. Use precise collocation Original: privacy can be invaded Suggested revision: privacy could be violated Why it matters: 'Violated' is the more natural collocation with privacy in this context.
- 4. Use formal structure Original: too serious of an issue Suggested revision: too serious an issue Why it matters: This structure is more concise and appropriate in a formal complaint.
- 5. Correct the phrasal verb Original: see Suggested revision: look Why it matters: 'Look into' is the correct expression for investigating a problem.
- 6. Use formal wording Original: make sure Suggested revision: ensure Why it matters: 'Ensure' is more concise and formal in a letter to a manager.
- 7. Use formal closing Original: I am looking forward Suggested revision: I look forward Why it matters: The simple present is the conventional formal construction in this closing sentence.
- 8. Add the sender's name Original: Yours sincerely, Suggested revision: Yours sincerely, [Your name] Why it matters: The letter needs the writer's name after the complimentary close.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: The door locks of the stalls have holes which are big enough for people from outside to peep into if they want to. Suggested revision: The locks on the stall doors leave gaps large enough for people outside to see through. Why it matters: This revision describes the privacy problem more clearly and naturally.
- 10. Sentence rewrite Original: Prior to this letter I have sent out five more emails but received no response. Suggested revision: Before writing this letter, I sent five emails but received no response. Why it matters: The rewrite fixes the tense sequence, punctuation, and unclear use of 'more'.
Suggested Rewrites
- writing this letter to you to complain writing to complain
- changing rooms in the gym changing rooms at the sports centre
- privacy can be invaded privacy could be violated
- too serious of an issue too serious an issue
- see look
- make sure ensure
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter communicates the complaint efficiently, explaining the privacy problem, the unanswered emails, and the requested repairs in a clear formal structure. The principal weakness is a small set of awkward word choices and one tense lapse, which slightly reduce precision despite the consistently clear meaning. The highest-priority improvement is to use standard complaint-letter collocations and more accurate time reference.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The complaint has a clear purpose, covers all three points directly, and maintains an appropriately firm and polite tone.
Develop the account of the earlier complaints slightly by adding when they were sent or whether any acknowledgement was received.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically organised into the problem, previous action, requested remedy, and closing, with clear progression.
Use a brief linking phrase between the unanswered complaints and the proposed solution to make the progression even smoother.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is sufficiently varied and generally precise, but phrases such as 'sent out five more emails' and 'see into this problem' are awkward.
Use established collocations such as 'sent five previous emails' and 'look into this matter' for greater naturalness.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The letter uses varied sentence structures with good control, though 'Prior to this letter I have sent' contains an inaccurate tense choice.
Use the past perfect or simple past when describing complaints made before the present letter, and add the comma after the introductory phrase.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
There is a problem with the changing rooms in the sports centre that you visit. You have complained several times but with no success. Write a letter to the manager of the sports centre. In your letter:
- Describe what the problem with the changing rooms is
- Say what happened the last times you complained
- Explain what you want the manager to do
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.