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 ask for permissionwriting to request you to allow me to move into another room, preferably a single roompreferably to a single room, startingfrom next term as I find my current livingaccommodation arrangement highly disruptivequite inconvenient. I enrolled in the B. Tech course atin your college last January and am currently sharingand currently sharing my room 308room, 308, with another studenta fellow mate who is also takingpursuing the same course. My roommate invitesbrings his friends almost every day and holds frequent parties. This situation not only hindersIt not only hinders my studies but also reducesbreaches my privacy. He often borrows my things without asking and he even lost a valuable item last month. His activities are not friendly and I find it hard to concentrate on my studies due to his irrational behaviours. My father, despite his financial difficultiescrunch, did arrange for my higher studies in this reputed college. It is my moral responsibility not to lose sight of the dreams which have been conceived in the eyes of my parents. The latest incident in whichwherein he borrowed my laptop without my permission promptedforced me to bring these issues to your attention. In view of all these undesirable and uncomfortable situations, I once again humbly request you to allow me a new room next term, preferably a single room. Yours faithfully, Kim Neeraj
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter clearly explains the roommate problems, maintains a suitably formal tone, and makes the requested move and preference for a single room unmistakable. Its main limitation is that the reason for needing a single room is mostly implied, while the discussion of family sacrifice distracts from the practical request. Prioritise a direct explanation that a single room would provide quiet, privacy, and control over belongings.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The problems and request for a new room are well developed, but the specific reasons for preferring a single room remain implicit.
Explicitly explain how a single room would ensure uninterrupted study, privacy, and security for personal possessions.
Coherence and Cohesion
The letter progresses logically from the request to supporting problems and a concluding appeal, though one personal digression weakens focus.
Remove the extended reference to parental sacrifice and organise the problems and requested solution in separate paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
There is sufficient range for the task, but several formal expressions and collocations sound unnatural or overstated.
Use precise phrases such as "roommate," "disruptive behaviour," and "financial difficulty" instead of awkward alternatives.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of complex structures is generally controlled, with a small number of noticeable grammatical lapses.
Add the missing auxiliary in "I am currently sharing" and check pronoun reference and sentence construction throughout.
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.