WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. You took your family to a nearby restaurant. You were disappointed with the meal and wish to complain to the manager. Write a letter to the manager of the restaurant. In the letter: explain why you were at the restaurant describe the problems write about the action you want the manager to take You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter as: Dear Sir or Madam, You should write at least 150 words.
Sample Essay with Corrections
Expert Feedback
The letter effectively addresses all parts of the task, clearly explaining the reason for the visit, describing the encountered problems, and stating the desired action. Key strengths include a well-organized structure and an appropriate tone for a complaint letter. Critical areas for improvement include providing specific examples of the dishes that were undercooked or stale, enhancing cohesion with varied linking phrases, and reducing repetition of certain words. Structural changes made include adding specific examples of the food issues and adjusting some phrases for formality. Suggestions for further improvements not implemented include varying the vocabulary used to avoid repetition and enhancing the complexity of sentence structures. Overall, the tone is appropriate and conveys the writer's concerns effectively.
Detailed Scores
What this means:
The letter is well-organized, with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the complaint, and cohesive devices are used effectively to link ideas. However, the writer could enhance cohesion by using more varied linking phrases to connect sentences within paragraphs.
How to improve:
- Use a clear paragraph structure
- Connect ideas with appropriate linking words
- Maintain logical progression
- Use referencing effectively
What this means:
The letter demonstrates a good range of grammatical structures, with mostly accurate usage. There are minor errors, such as 'the waitstaff seemed disinterested' which could be more formally stated as 'the waitstaff appeared disinterested.' Overall, the grammatical accuracy is strong, but slight improvements in formality and complexity could enhance the score.
How to improve:
- Use complex sentence structures
- Maintain grammatical accuracy
- Use a variety of sentence patterns
- Check for common grammar errors
What this means:
The vocabulary used is appropriate and varied, with phrases like 'disappointment,' 'under-cooked,' and 'ambiance' demonstrating a good range. There is some repetition of words like 'restaurant' and 'meal,' which could be improved by using synonyms or rephrasing. Overall, the lexical choices are effective for the context.
How to improve:
- Use a wider range of vocabulary
- Demonstrate awareness of collocations
- Avoid word repetition
- Use more sophisticated vocabulary accurately
What this means:
The letter effectively addresses all parts of the task by explaining the reason for the visit, describing the problems encountered, and stating the desired action. The tone is appropriate for a complaint letter, and the content is relevant and well-developed. To improve further, the writer could provide more specific examples of the dishes that were undercooked or stale.
How to improve:
- Address all parts of the task fully
- Support ideas with specific examples
- Develop each point thoroughly
- Stay relevant to the topic
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