You visit a sports centre regularly, and there is a problem with the changing rooms in it. You have complained about it 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 time you complained - explain what you want the manager to do
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
In recent weeks, I have noticed several problemswe have found some issues with your generallyotherwise well-managed sports centre, and I thoughtI just thought that it was timeit was the time to bring those problems to your attention to protectensure the reputation of the centreyour famous sports centre and the comfort of its users.
Now, let me explain the issues one by one. The first issue is that some of the doors of the changing rooms do not lock properly - probably because the locking mechanismslock systems have worn out or become old due to excessive use. Another problem is that sometimes asometimes, a foul smell hits us as soon as we enter those rooms either because they are not cleaned properly or do not get properly “deodorized”.
Of course, I have already complained to the supervisor, in charge of the maintenance of your sports centre, a couple of times, but it looks like the issues have not exactly been addressed or solved. The last time I complained to him was two months ago, and despite his promise to fix the issues, nothing significant has been done.
Therefore, I would appreciate it if you take the necessary steps to solve the problems, mentioned above, at your earliest convenience so that we all can get back to enjoying our time at your establishment, again, like we always did in the past.
Yours faithfully,
Miranda Blake
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter is well organised, appropriately formal, and fully addresses the problems, the unsuccessful previous complaint, and the action requested from the manager. Its main weakness is occasional over-elaboration and awkward phrasing, which makes an otherwise clear complaint less concise and natural. The highest-priority improvement is to streamline repetitive expressions and use more precise formal collocations, especially in the opening and closing requests.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The letter clearly achieves its purpose, develops all three bullet points, and maintains an appropriate formal register throughout.
Specify the exact remedies sought, such as repairing the locks and establishing a more reliable cleaning schedule.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is sequenced effectively across focused paragraphs, with cohesive devices guiding the reader naturally through the complaint.
Make the opening more direct so the central complaint is introduced without unnecessary background praise.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is varied and appropriate for a formal complaint, though several expressions are repetitive or slightly unnatural.
Replace awkward phrases such as “ensure the reputation” and “a foul smell hits us” with more idiomatic formal wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good range of complex sentences is generally controlled, with occasional errors in conditionals, articles, and comma placement.
Use the polite conditional accurately, for example “I would appreciate it if you took the necessary steps,” and avoid unnecessary commas.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You visit a sports centre regularly, and there is a problem with the changing rooms in it. You have complained about it 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 time you complained
- explain what you want the manager to do
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.