You recently took a trip with a taxi company. The driver behaved in an unacceptable way and you had a lot of problems. You complained to the company but no-one has replied to your complaint. Write a letter to the taxi company. In your letter: - say why you are writing and how you feel - explain what happened - tell them what you would like them to do.
Sample Response
Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the service I have received from your taxi company both during my ride and in dealing with my subsequent complaint. Last Thursday (3rd of March), I took one of your taxis to go to an important business meeting in the city. Although the driver said he knew the address I wanted to go to, he took me to the wrong address. This made me late for my appointment. When I complained about his mistake, he became angry and shouted at me. I refused to pay the fare and he then started to threaten me. I took down his information and left the taxi while he was shouting, and I immediately wrote a letter of complaint to your company. However, I am very disappointed to find that I haven't a letter of apology for the driver's behaviour. As a representative of your company, he should behave in a courteous manner; particularly because it was the driver who had made the mistake. I would like to recommend that you train your staff to behave in a polite manner to customers. I also expect an apology for your employee's behaviour towards me. Yours sincerely, Jimmy Perez
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use conventional salutation Original: Dear Sir/Madam Suggested revision: Dear Sir or Madam Why it matters: Writing out or is the more conventional form in a formal business letter.
- 2. Format the date Original: 3rd of March Suggested revision: 3 March Why it matters: This concise date form is more natural in formal written English.
- 3. Use precise verb Original: go to an important business meeting Suggested revision: attend an important business meeting Why it matters: Attend is the standard verb used with meetings.
- 4. Avoid wordiness Original: the address I wanted to go to Suggested revision: my intended destination Why it matters: This concise phrase avoids the awkward repetition of address and go to.
- 5. Use natural collocation Original: took down his information Suggested revision: noted his details Why it matters: Noted his details is a more idiomatic formal expression in this context.
- 6. Correct verb construction Original: I haven't a letter of apology Suggested revision: I have not received a letter of apology Why it matters: The sentence needs received to express that no reply or apology has arrived.
- 7. Replace the semicolon Original: ; particularly Suggested revision: , particularly Why it matters: A semicolon cannot introduce the dependent phrase beginning with particularly because.
- 8. Simplify the tense Original: had made the mistake Suggested revision: made the mistake Why it matters: The simple past is sufficient because the sequence of events is already clear.
- 9. Make the request direct Original: recommend Suggested revision: request Why it matters: Request states more directly what the company should do in response to the complaint.
- 10. Structure the complaint Suggested revision: Divide the letter into paragraphs for the complaint purpose, incident details, lack of response, and requested remedies. Why it matters: Clear sections would make the sequence of events and desired action easier to follow.
Suggested Rewrites
- Dear Sir/Madam Dear Sir or Madam
- 3rd of March 3 March
- go to an important business meeting attend an important business meeting
- the address I wanted to go to my intended destination
- took down his information noted his details
- I haven't a letter of apology I have not received a letter of apology
Why this response received Band 8.0
The complaint is detailed, purposeful, and consistently formal, with a clear account of the journey, the driver's conduct, and the requested remedies. Precise vocabulary and varied sentence structures support an authoritative tone, although the single-block presentation and a few awkward grammatical choices reduce polish. The priority is to organize the complaint into distinct paragraphs and revise isolated phrases such as the sentence about not receiving an apology.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The letter clearly states its purpose and feelings, explains the incident in relevant detail, and makes appropriate requests in a formal register.
Make the requested company response even more specific by asking for confirmation of the investigation and staff action.
Coherence and Cohesion
The complaint progresses logically from context through the incident to the requested remedies, with cohesive devices handled effectively.
Separate the opening, incident account, lack of response, and requested action into distinct paragraphs for clearer staging.
Lexical Resource
Precise vocabulary such as dissatisfaction, subsequent complaint, threaten, and courteous conveys the seriousness of the complaint effectively.
Reduce repetition of behave and behaviour by varying the wording when describing conduct and the requested remedy.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence structures is used accurately, with only isolated awkward constructions and punctuation choices.
Revise I haven't a letter of apology to I haven't received a letter of apology and replace the semicolon before particularly with a comma.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You recently took a trip with a taxi company. The driver behaved in an unacceptable way and you had a lot of problems. You complained to the company but no-one has replied to your complaint. Write a letter to the taxi company. In your letter:
- say why you are writing and how you feel
- explain what happened
- tell them what you would like them to do.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.