You have recently ordered an item through the Internet but are not happy with the purchase. Write to the company. In your letter: - Describe what you purchased, - Explain why you are not happy with the purchase, - Tell them what you would like them to do about the situation.
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction regarding and ethnic wear, which I purchased online from your Treasure hunt company.
Let me inform you that I had purchased a traditional dress on 28th August from your company. The dress’s fabric had been written on the screen; pure cotton and heavy stoll were also attached with it. When I purchased it, it was only available in pink colour. In addition, fine embroidery was the icing on the cake for this dress.
Furthermore, I would like to mention that I got dejected when it did not meet my expectations. As it had been displayed; however, unfortunately, the colour had not been the same, and it was delivered without a still, and the quality of the fabric was Satin, which could cause me an allergy. So, by and by, it was a total wastage of money and time.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Fix preposition and article Original: regarding and ethnic wear Suggested revision: regarding an ethnic-wear item Why it matters: The original contains the wrong article and an incomplete noun phrase.
- 2. Capitalise company name Original: Treasure hunt company Suggested revision: Treasure Hunt Why it matters: The company name should be capitalised and does not need the generic noun afterward.
- 3. State detail directly Original: Let me inform you that I had purchased Suggested revision: I purchased Why it matters: The introductory phrase and past perfect add unnecessary distance to a straightforward purchase detail.
- 4. Use formal date style Original: 28th Suggested revision: 28 Why it matters: The cardinal date form is more conventional in formal British correspondence.
- 5. Use precise transaction verb Original: purchased Suggested revision: ordered Why it matters: Ordered describes the online transaction more precisely in this context.
- 6. Remove redundant noun Original: pink colour Suggested revision: pink Why it matters: Pink already names the colour, so the noun is unnecessary.
- 7. Avoid informal idiom Original: the icing on the cake Suggested revision: an attractive feature Why it matters: The idiom is too conversational for a formal complaint to a company.
- 8. Correct embroidery preposition Original: for this dress Suggested revision: on the dress Why it matters: Embroidery is located on a garment rather than for it in this sentence.
- 9. Use natural complaint wording Original: I would like to mention that I got dejected Suggested revision: I was disappointed Why it matters: The revision is direct and uses the natural adjective for dissatisfaction with a purchase.
- 10. Fix broken transition Original: As it had been displayed; however, unfortunately, Suggested revision: Unfortunately, Why it matters: The original combines a fragment with conflicting linking words.
- 11. Use simple past Original: had not been the same Suggested revision: was not the same Why it matters: Simple past is sufficient for the delivered item's colour.
- 12. Correct item name Original: without a still Suggested revision: without the stole Why it matters: Still is the wrong word for the accessory described earlier.
Suggested Rewrites
- regarding and ethnic wear regarding an ethnic-wear item
- Treasure hunt company Treasure Hunt
- Let me inform you that I had purchased I purchased
- 28th 28
- purchased ordered
- pink colour pink
Why this response received Band 5.5
The response identifies the purchased dress and gives several concrete reasons for dissatisfaction, including the colour, missing accessory, and unsuitable fabric. However, it omits the requested remedy entirely and ends without a closing, leaving the communicative purpose incomplete. The highest-priority improvement is to add a direct request for a refund or replacement and finish the complaint in an appropriate formal-letter format.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purchase and problems are described, but the required action from the company is missing and the letter has no concluding request.
Add a specific remedy, such as a full refund or replacement, with any practical return or response details.
Coherence and Cohesion
The three paragraphs follow a basic progression from purpose to product description and dissatisfaction, but the response stops before completing that progression.
Organise the letter into purpose, purchase details, problems, and requested resolution, followed by a formal closing.
Lexical Resource
There is some range in describing the product and reaction, but inaccurate spelling and awkward choices frequently reduce precision.
Use accurate product vocabulary and natural complaint phrases, replacing unclear forms such as 'stoll', 'still', and 'by and by'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response attempts complex sentences, but errors in articles, tense, punctuation, and clause construction are frequent and sometimes obscure meaning.
Use controlled past-tense sentences and revise fragments and run-ons, especially the sentence beginning 'As it had been displayed'.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You have recently ordered an item through the Internet but are not happy with the purchase. Write to the company. In your letter:
- Describe what you purchased,
- Explain why you are not happy with the purchase,
- Tell them what you would like them to do about the situation.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.