Letter to Landlord About Repairs
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 173 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
You rent a house through a letting agency. The house has a number of problems that need repairing. Write a letter to the letting agency. In your letter: - Introduce yourself and say which property you are renting - Describe the problems with the house - Say what action you expect the agency to take Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,
How to approach it
- 01Use 'Dear Sir or Madam' for unknown recipients, 'Yours faithfully' to close
- 02Be polite but firm — state facts, not emotions
- 03Cover all three bullet points in the task
- 04Use formal vocabulary: 'I would appreciate', 'arrange for'
- 05Give specific details about each problem
Model answer
173 words in 7 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to report several maintenance issues at the property I rent at 14 Westbury Avenue, which I have occupied since January this year under tenancy agreement WB-2024-0091.
Firstly, there is a persistent leak in the bathroom ceiling that appears to originate from the flat above. Despite placing a bucket underneath, the dampness is spreading and I am concerned about potential mould growth, which could pose a health risk.
Secondly, the central heating boiler has been making an unusual rattling noise and frequently cuts out during the night, leaving the house extremely cold. Given that winter is approaching, this is becoming increasingly urgent.
Finally, two of the kitchen cabinet doors have come off their hinges and one window in the bedroom does not close properly, creating a security concern.
I would appreciate it if you could arrange for a qualified tradesperson to inspect and repair these issues within the next seven days. Please contact me on 07946 331 882 to arrange a convenient time.
Yours faithfully, Catherine Blackwood
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 31 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
51 fewer than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 33 at the longest
4 more than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 19.2 words and vary by 8.5 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 33. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 5 of the 9 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
6 in total, spread across 3 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
despite
since
secondly, firstly, finally, next
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 94 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 91 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 4 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Address all bullet points clearly
Coherence & Cohesion
Logical flow with clear paragraphing
Lexical Resource
Appropriate formal/semi-formal register
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Accurate structures with variety
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Paste your own attempt at this question and get a band for each criterion, with the exact sentences costing you marks.
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