Your company recently introduced a new staff uniform, but staff members are unhappy with it. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter: - explain why you think staff are unhappy with the uniform - describe what you want the new uniform to be like - give suggestions for handling the situation
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing this letter to inform you that many of our staff members are not exactly happy with the announcement of a new uniform. And I believe that our higher management should take some initiatives to make it more acceptable to all.
I think most employees in our company are dissatisfied with this new dress code because they do not like the colour combination of the proposed dresses. They have also expressed their concerns in private about wearing such dresses on a hot summer day, especially since we often have power cuts during the summer.
I think the colour that the management has proposed for the new uniform should be revised as it mimics the dress code of healthcare service providers while most of our employees are technicians. The new uniform should also give our employees the freedom to choose the type of fabrics rather than imposing a single one on them.
Perhaps, the company should ask a few employees to talk to them and listen to their opinions. Please also announce to offer the making cost of the new uniform to make it a success.
I hope you would find my suggestions helpful.
Yours faithfully,
Elizabeth Gomez
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Remove needless wording Original: writing this letter Suggested revision: writing Why it matters: “This letter” is redundant because the medium is already clear.
- 2. Use precise wording Original: not exactly happy Suggested revision: dissatisfied Why it matters: “Dissatisfied” states the staff’s reaction clearly and formally.
- 3. Link the point smoothly Original: And I believe Suggested revision: I also believe Why it matters: This connects the recommendation to the opening without an unnecessary sentence-initial conjunction.
- 4. Use the standard term Original: higher Suggested revision: senior Why it matters: “Senior management” is the standard term for the organisation’s higher-level managers.
- 5. Correct the collocation Original: take some initiatives Suggested revision: take steps Why it matters: “Take steps” is the natural collocation for acting to resolve a problem.
- 6. Clarify the reference Original: make it more acceptable to all Suggested revision: make the uniform more acceptable to everyone Why it matters: Naming the uniform removes the vague pronoun and “everyone” sounds more natural.
- 7. Use the accurate term Original: this new dress code Suggested revision: this new uniform Why it matters: The complaint concerns the clothing itself rather than a general dress policy.
- 8. Use the correct noun Original: dresses Suggested revision: uniform Why it matters: “Uniform” is the precise collective term for the company clothing.
- 9. Correct the reference Original: such dresses Suggested revision: such a uniform Why it matters: The singular countable noun needs an article and matches the uniform under discussion.
- 10. Use a general plural Original: on a hot summer day Suggested revision: on hot summer days Why it matters: The plural naturally expresses a recurring concern across the summer.
- 11. Use concise wording Original: the colour that the management has proposed Suggested revision: management’s proposed colour Why it matters: The possessive phrase conveys the same meaning more directly.
- 12. Describe the resemblance accurately Original: mimics the dress code Suggested revision: resembles the uniform Why it matters: “Resembles” neutrally describes the visual similarity, and “uniform” names the clothing.
Suggested Rewrites
- writing this letter writing
- not exactly happy dissatisfied
- And I believe I also believe
- higher senior
- take some initiatives take steps
- make it more acceptable to all make the uniform more acceptable to everyone
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter fully explains staff concerns about colour and heat, proposes a more appropriate colour and flexible fabric choices, and suggests consultation and financial support. Its strongest feature is the practical link between the uniform design, technicians' work, summer conditions, and staff acceptance. The main limitation is awkward phrasing in the recommendations; prioritise clear, actionable proposals such as a staff survey, breathable fabric options, and a company clothing allowance.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All three bullet points are fully developed with plausible reasons, concrete design preferences, and relevant ways to involve and support staff.
Specify a suitable colour and propose a short trial or staff vote before the company finalises and funds the uniform.
Coherence and Cohesion
Clear paragraphs organise the problem, desired changes, proposed handling, and courteous close in a logical sequence.
Combine the two opening sentences and make the final recommendation paragraph more direct, with one sentence for consultation and one for costs.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is adequate for workplace feedback, though several expressions involving clothing, management, and costs are unnatural.
Use 'senior management', 'uniforms', 'breathable fabrics', 'manufacturing cost', and 'uniform allowance'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex ideas are generally clear, but sentence fragments, pronoun reference, verb patterns, and request structures contain noticeable errors.
Use forms such as 'Management should consult a representative group of employees' and 'The company should cover the cost of making the uniforms'.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
Your company recently introduced a new staff uniform, but staff members are unhappy with it. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter:
- explain why you think staff are unhappy with the uniform
- describe what you want the new uniform to be like
- give suggestions for handling the situation
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.