This is an IELTS writing task 1 letter from the real general training exam on the topic of writing a letter to an insurance company about losing a valuable item.

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IELTS Essay: Losing a Valuable Item

On a recent holiday you lost a valuable item. Fortunately, you have travel insurance to cover the cost of anything lost. Write a letter to the manager of your insurance company. In your letter, explain

What you lost

How you lost it

What you want the insurance company to do

To whom it may concern,

I was on holiday the other week to Macau and while there, my laptop was stolen. The laptop is a MacBook Pro and was detailed in my insurance policy beforehand. Additionally, my AirPods, which were next to the laptop, are also gone now.

The event occurred at a local cafe. I left my bag, laptop, and earphones at my table while I went to the bathroom and when I returned several minutes later, they were all missing. I asked the cafe owner but he did not notice someone taking them and their security camera is out of order. We still reported the incident to the police.

I have attached the police report associated with the incident and hope that you will be able to reimburse me based on my policy as promptly as possible. Thefts while on holiday are covered in my membership. Please make a direct transfer to the associated account.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone.

Best Regards,

Arthur Lang

Analysis

1. To whom it may concern,

2. I was on holiday the other week to Macau and while there, my laptop was stolen. 3. The laptop is a MacBook Pro and was detailed in my insurance policy beforehand. Additionally, my AirPods, which were next to the laptop, are also gone now.

1. Address the letter to someone.
2. You can begin with a greeting in some letters.
3. Include the first bullet point.

1. The event occurred at a local cafe. 2. I left my bag, laptop, and earphones at my table while I went to the bathroom and when I returned several minutes later, they were all missing. 3. I asked the cafe owner but he did not notice someone taking them and their security camera is out of order. 4. We still reported the incident to the police.

1. Begin to develop the second point.
2. Add more detail to it.
3. This one is focused on second point so include a lot.
4. The more you add, the higher your task achievement mark.

1. I have attached the police report associated with the incident and hope that you will be able to reimburse me based on my policy as promptly as possible. 2. Thefts while on holiday are covered in my membership. 3. Please make a direct transfer to the associated account.

4. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone.

5. Best Regards,

6. Arthur Lang

1. Develop the last point.
2. Keep developing it.
3. Use short and long sentences.
4. Add an ending sentence.
5. Use a phrase like regards or sincerely.
6. Write your name at the end of the letter.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Take notes on a piece of paper to aid memory retention.

To whom it may concern,

I was on holiday the other week to Macau and while there, my laptop was stolen. The laptop is a MacBook Pro and was detailed in my insurance policy beforehand. Additionally, my AirPods, which were next to the laptop, are also gone now.

The event occurred at a local cafe. I left my bag, laptop, and earphones at my table while I went to the bathroom and when I returned several minutes later, they were all missing. I asked the cafe owner but he did not notice someone taking them and their security camera is out of order. We still reported the incident to the police.

I have attached the police report associated with the incident and hope that you will be able to reimburse me based on my policy as promptly as possible. Thefts while on holiday are covered in my membership. Please make a direct transfer to the associated account.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone.

Best Regards,

Arthur Lang

Answers

Practice writing sentences with the words below on a piece of paper:

To whom it may concern dear

on holiday the other week while on vacation last week

while there when I was there

detailed in contained in

insurance policy beforehand coverage in my plan before the trip

Additionally also

gone missing

event occurred thing happened

local cafe nearby coffee shop

left forgot about

returned several minutes later came back after a bit

missing gone

notice realized

taking them stole

security camera is out of order surveillance not working

reported the incident to the police told the cops about it

attached included

police report associated with informoation about it reported to the cops

incident thing that happened

reimburse give money back

based on because of

policy as promptly as possible plan as quickly as can be done

Thefts things that are stolen

covered included

membership subscription, plan, policy

make a direct transfer to the associated account send right to my bank account

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone contact me if there are questions

Best Regards sincerely

Pronunciation

Practice with this tip using Google voice search to improve your pronunciation:

tuː huːm ɪt meɪ kənˈsɜːn,
ɒn ˈhɒlədeɪ ði ˈʌðə wiːk 
waɪl ðeə,
ˈdiːteɪld ɪn 
ɪnˈʃʊərəns ˈpɒlɪsi bɪˈfɔːhænd.
əˈdɪʃənli,
ɡɒn 
ɪˈvɛnt əˈkɜːd 
ˈləʊkəl ˈkæfeɪ.
lɛft 
rɪˈtɜːnd ˈsɛvrəl ˈmɪnɪts ˈleɪtə,
ˈmɪsɪŋ.
ˈnəʊtɪs 
ˈteɪkɪŋ ðɛm 
sɪˈkjʊərɪti ˈkæmərə ɪz aʊt ɒv ˈɔːdə.
rɪˈpɔːtɪd ði ˈɪnsɪdənt tuː ðə pəˈliːs.
əˈtæʧt 
pəˈliːs rɪˈpɔːt əˈsəʊʃɪeɪtɪd wɪð 
ˈɪnsɪdənt 
ˌriːɪmˈbɜːs 
beɪst ɒn 
ˈpɒlɪsi æz ˈprɒmptli æz ˈpɒsəbᵊl.
θɛfts 
ˈkʌvəd 
ˈmɛmbəʃɪp.
meɪk ə dɪˈrɛkt ˈtrænsfɜː tuː ði əˈsəʊʃɪeɪtɪd əˈkaʊnt.
ɪf juː hæv ˈɛni ˈfɜːðə ˈkwɛsʧənz, duː nɒt ˈhɛzɪteɪt tuː ˈkɒntækt miː baɪ ˈiːmeɪl ɔː fəʊn.
bɛst rɪˈɡɑːdz

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

To whom it may concern,

I was o____________________________k to Macau and w__________e, my laptop was stolen. The laptop is a MacBook Pro and was d____________n my i_______________________________d. A_____________y, my AirPods, which were next to the laptop, are also g___e now.

The e___________________d at a l___________e. I l___t my bag, laptop, and earphones at my table while I went to the bathroom and when I r_____________________________r, they were all m________g. I asked the cafe owner but he did not n______e someone t__________m and their s___________________________________r. We still r__________________________________e.

I have a_________d the p_________________________________h the i__________t and hope that you will be able to r_________e me b__________n my p______________________________________e. T______s while on holiday are c______d in my m__________p. Please m________________________________________________________t.

I___________________________________________________________________________________e.

B_____________s,

Arthur Lang

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.boredpanda.com/lost-found-items/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Police

1. Is your country generally safe?
2. What responsibilities do the police usually have?
3. How do you think policing will change in the future?
4. Do cameras violate a person’s privacy?
5. What problems do people have with the police in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:

Write a letter to the manager of a cinema (movie theatre) about a jacket you have left behind after a film. In your letter:

• Describe the jacket
• Describe where you were seated
• Explain what you want to be done

IELTS Essay: Letter to a Cinema Manager

Sample Correction