You recently went on a trip with a friend and you both took some photographs. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: - ask your friend to send you one of the photographs - explain why you need that particular photograph and tell your friend - what happened to your copy of it
Sample Response
Dear Rumi, Hope you are doing well. Just to let you know again, I think that my recent trip to Turkey with you was one of the best ones I have ever had. In fact, I would have never known that Turkey, and especially the city of Istanbul, was such a beautiful place had I not visited there with you. Anyway, I am writing this letter to request a copy of the photographs that we took in the Hagia Sophia Museum. This particular picture to me was one of the best and most favourite since I looked really live and happy in that picture unlike in many other pictures in which I looked either tired or serious. But, unfortunately, when I was looking at this picture and talking about my experience on our recent trip to Turkey to one of my cousins over a cup of coffee, I accidentally spilt my coffee on it. Not to mention, the picture got damaged after that accident. So, I would really appreciate it if you could mail me a copy of that picture because you have a copy of that picture with you also. Take care and write to me sometimes. Warm wishes, Stephen
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Name the noun clearly Original: ones Suggested revision: trips Why it matters: Trips is more precise than the vague substitute ones.
- 2. Correct adverb position Original: would have never known Suggested revision: would never have known Why it matters: Never normally appears between the modal would and the perfect auxiliary have.
- 3. Fix verb complement Original: visited Suggested revision: gone Why it matters: Visit takes a direct object, while go naturally combines with there.
- 4. Request one photograph Original: a copy of the photographs Suggested revision: a copy of one of the photographs Why it matters: The task asks for one particular photograph rather than copies of the whole set.
- 5. Fix viewpoint phrase Original: This particular picture to me Suggested revision: For me, this particular picture Why it matters: The fronted prepositional phrase states the personal evaluation naturally.
- 6. Remove double superlative Original: one of the best and most favourite Suggested revision: one of my favourites Why it matters: Best and most favourite are redundant and the latter construction is nonstandard.
- 7. Choose correct adjective Original: live Suggested revision: lively Why it matters: Lively describes an energetic appearance, while live does not fit this context.
- 8. Show the result Original: Not to mention Suggested revision: As a result Why it matters: The sentence states the consequence of spilling coffee rather than adding an unmentioned point.
- 9. Use singular sometime Original: sometimes Suggested revision: sometime Why it matters: Sometime means at an unspecified future occasion, while sometimes means occasionally.
- 10. Clarify prior reference Original: Just to let you know again Suggested revision: As I mentioned before Why it matters: This phrase signals the earlier discussion more directly and avoids a vague conversational filler.
- 11. Remove optional that Original: I think that my recent trip Suggested revision: I think my recent trip Why it matters: Omitting that makes this friendly opening more concise without changing its meaning.
- 12. Trim redundant category Original: especially the city of Istanbul Suggested revision: especially Istanbul Why it matters: The city of is unnecessary because Istanbul is already clearly identified as a place.
Suggested Rewrites
- ones trips
- would have never known would never have known
- visited gone
- a copy of the photographs a copy of one of the photographs
- This particular picture to me For me, this particular picture
- one of the best and most favourite one of my favourites
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter covers every requested point with a friendly tone, clearly identifying the Hagia Sophia photograph, explaining its personal value, and describing the coffee damage. Its main limitation is repetitive and occasionally unnatural wording, especially repeated uses of “picture” and the phrase “really live”; prioritise concise paragraphing, varied reference words, and natural expressions such as “looked lively and happy.”
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is clear, all three bullet points are fully developed, and the informal tone suits a letter to a friend.
Make the request even more precise by specifying whether a printed copy or digital file would be most useful.
Coherence and Cohesion
The account progresses logically from the trip memory to the photograph, its importance, the accident, and the request, but it lacks paragraph breaks.
Divide the letter into short paragraphs for the shared trip, the photograph’s value, and the request after explaining the damage.
Lexical Resource
There is enough range to describe the trip and accident clearly, but repeated wording and choices such as “really live” and “most favourite” reduce naturalness.
Use “looked lively,” avoid redundant superlatives, and replace repeated instances of “picture” with suitable references such as “photograph” or “copy.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response demonstrates several well-controlled complex structures, including inversion, while minor punctuation and phrasing errors do not impede meaning.
Tighten the long sentence about spilling coffee and avoid unnecessary commas after opening conjunctions such as “But.”
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You recently went on a trip with a friend and you both took some photographs. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
- ask your friend to send you one of the photographs
- explain why you need that particular photograph and tell your friend
- what happened to your copy of it
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.