This is an IELTS writing task 1 letter from the real general training exam on the topic of writing a letter of complaint to a hotel.

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IELTS Essay: Letter to a Hotel

You have a complaint about the hotel you stayed at while attending a meeting that was booked by the organiser of a company meeting. Write a letter to the organiser of the meeting and include

  • Details about the meeting
  • The problem you face
  • What should be done

Dear Optimal Synergy,

I am writing from the Botanica company about the event that you recently managed for us. It was at the Continental Hotel in downtown Saigon and was held the weekend before last (the weekend of the 23rd) on the 4th floor reception area.

There were some issues during the meeting that you could have foreseen in my opinion. Firstly, the catering was late and there were few dishes that appealed to attendees. We are a local company but the majority of the food was western. Additionally, during the meeting we tried to reach your company in order to arrange for an extra hour but could not contact you. This was extremely unprofessional.

From my point of view, you should address these problems immediately by ensuring that you have catered according to the tastes of the company you are representing. There should also be a back-up number to deal with any issues that come up during the event. I hope that you will be able to make some form of restitution to us for these inconveniences.

Please reply promptly.

Best Regards,

Linh

Analysis

1. Dear Optimal Synergy,

2. I am writing from the Botanica company about the event that you recently managed for us. 3. It was at the Continental Hotel in downtown Saigon and was held the weekend before last (the weekend of the 23rd) on the 4th floor reception area.

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

1. There were some issues during the meeting that you could have foreseen in my opinion. 2. Firstly, the catering was late and there were few dishes that appealed to attendees. 3. We are a local company but the majority of the food was western. 4. Additionally, during the meeting we tried to reach your company in order to arrange for an extra hour but could not contact you. 5. This was extremely unprofessional.

  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.
  5. Vary long and short sentences.

1. From my point of view, you should address these problems immediately by ensuring that you have catered according to the tastes of the company you are representing. 2. There should also be a back-up number to deal with any issues that come up during the event. 3. I hope that you will be able to make some form of restitution to us for these inconveniences.

4. Please reply promptly.

5. Best Regards,

6. Linh

  1. Develop the last point.
  2. Keep developing it.
  3. Add an ending sentence.
  4. You can add one final sentence like this.
  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.

Dear Optimal Synergy,

I am writing from the Botanica company about the event that you recently managed for us. It was at the Continental Hotel in downtown Saigon and was held the weekend before last (the weekend of the 23rd) on the 4th floor reception area.

There were some issues during the meeting that you could have foreseen in my opinion. Firstly, the catering was late and there were few dishes that appealed to attendees. We are a local company but the majority of the food was western. Additionally, during the meeting we tried to reach your company in order to arrange for an extra hour but could not contact you. This was extremely unprofessional.

From my point of view, you should address these problems immediately by ensuring that you have catered according to the tastes of the company you are representing. There should also be a back-up number to deal with any issues that come up during the event. I hope that you will be able to make some form of restitution to us for these inconveniences.

Please reply promptly.

Best Regards,

Linh

Dear Lisa,

Answers

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

event big meeting, conference

recently not that long ago

managed dealt with

downtown Saigon central Ho Chi Minh City

held hosted

weekend before last two weekends ago

reception area big meeting area

issues problems

foreseen can be predicted

catering food brought in

few dishes some food

appealed to attendees people there liked

local company firm working here

majority of most of

western from western countries

additionally also

reach get to

in order to so

arrange for plan for

extra additionally

contact call or talk to

extremely unprofessional not well-run

from my point of view in my opinion

address deal with

immediately right now

ensuring making sure

according to relating to

tastes what people like

representing symbolizing

back-up number phone number in case

deal with handle

come up appear

make some form of restitution give us a refund

inconveniences problems

please reply promptly answer right now

Best Regards sincerely

Pronunciation

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

ɪˈvɛnt
ˈriːsntli
ˈmænɪʤd
ˈdaʊntaʊn saɪgɒn
hɛld
ˈwiːkˈɛnd bɪˈfɔː lɑːst
rɪˈsɛpʃən ˈeərɪə
ˈɪʃuːz
fɔːˈsiːn
ˈkeɪtərɪŋ
fjuː ˈdɪʃɪz
əˈpiːld tuː  ətendi:z
ˈləʊkəl ˈkʌmpəni
məˈʤɒrɪti ɒv
ˈwɛstən
əˈdɪʃənli
riːʧ
ɪn ˈɔːdə tuː
əˈreɪnʤ fɔː
ˈɛkstrə
ˈkɒntækt
ɪksˈtriːmli ˌʌnprəˈfɛʃənl
frɒm maɪ pɔɪnt ɒv vjuː
əˈdrɛs
ɪˈmiːdiətli
ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ
əˈkɔːdɪŋ tuː
teɪsts
ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntɪŋ
bæk-ʌp ˈnʌmbə
diːl wɪð
kʌm ʌp
meɪk sʌm fɔːm ɒv ˌrɛstɪˈtjuːʃən
ˌɪnkənˈviːniənsɪz
pliːz rɪˈplaɪ ˈprɒmptli
bɛst rɪˈgɑːdz

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Dear Optimal Synergy,

I am writing from the Botanica company about the e_____t that you r__________________d for us. It was at the Continental Hotel in d__________________n and was h___d the w__________________________t (the weekend of the 23rd) on the 4th floor r__________________a.

There were some i__________s during the meeting that you could have f_______n in my opinion. Firstly, the c________g was late and there were f___________s that a____________________s. We are a l_______________y but the m_____________f the food was w_________n. A______________y, during the meeting we tried to r_______h your company i____________o a____________r an e_____a hour but could not c__________t you. This was e_______________________l.

F____________________________w, you should a__________s these problems i_______________y by e____________g that you have catered a_______________o the t_________s of the company you are r_______________g. There should also be a b________________r to d________h any issues that c________p during the event. I hope that you will be able to m_____________________________n to us for these i________________s.

P___________________y.

B_______________s,

Linh

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:

Speaking Practice

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

Meetings

  1. Are meetings common for most businesses in your country?
  2. Are meetings a waste of time?
  3. How could meetings be made more efficient?
  4. How has technology changed the way people hold meetings?
  5. Are there cultural differences in terms of meetings in different parts of 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

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