You have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge receipt of a new bank card. However, the card was missing from the envelope. Write a letter to the bank's head office. In your letter: - explain why you are writing - express concern about the missing card - ask them what they intend to do
Sample Response
Dear Mr. Aquino, I am writing in connection with your letter asking me to acknowledge receipt of the new bank card. Upon checking, the envelope was openopened and the card wasis missing. I am worried about the possibility that someone else has the cardthe possibility that the card is in the possession of other people and will be useduse for fraudulent transactions. If the card is misused, it willIf that happens, that will put me in an unfavorable and inconvenient situationput me in unfavorable and inconvenient situation. In addition, the old card has already expiredthe old card already expired and I urgently need the new one because I am leaving the countryI am waiting for the new one since I am leaving the country for a trip to Singaporefor a Singapore trip next week. I had planned to use the card during my tripI am planning to use it when I am there and I am very disappointed with the card's disappearancewhat happened. ThereforeIn this regard, would you please explain what action your office will takeprovide the necessary action(s) to be taken by your office to ensure that the card will not be useduse for illegal purposes? Would it also be possibleAlso, would it be possible to replace the card immediately so that I can use it on my upcomingincoming trip? I am hoping to hear from you. Yours sincerely, JN
Why this response received Band 6.5
The letter clearly explains the missing card, communicates genuine concern about possible fraud, and requests both protective action and a replacement in an appropriately formal manner. Its main limitation is recurring grammatical and collocational inaccuracy, particularly around verb forms, articles, and travel-related wording, although meaning remains clear. Prioritise proofreading for passive forms and natural formal phrasing so the otherwise complete message sounds more controlled and professional.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear, all three bullet points are covered, and the formal tone is generally suitable for the bank.
Make the requested action more direct by explicitly asking the bank to cancel the missing card and confirm the replacement arrangements.
Coherence and Cohesion
The information progresses logically from the missing card to its risks, the travel context, and the requested remedies.
Use clear paragraph breaks to separate the purpose, concerns, and requests, while reducing repeated linking phrases.
Lexical Resource
The letter uses relevant formal vocabulary, but several collocations and word forms sound unnatural or imprecise.
Replace awkward phrases with natural choices such as 'used for fraudulent transactions' and 'upcoming trip.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A useful range of simple and complex structures conveys the message clearly, despite recurring errors in passive forms, tense, and articles.
Proofread verb phrases and noun phrases carefully, especially 'will be used,' 'has already expired,' and 'an unfavourable situation.'
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge receipt of a new bank card. However, the card was missing from the envelope. Write a letter to the bank's head office. In your letter:
- explain why you are writing
- express concern about the missing card
- ask them what they intend to do
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.