IELTS General Training Letter: Problem With Your Flat
Write a semi-formal letter to your landlord about a problem in your flat that hasn't been fixed. Cover all three bullet points.
- Time
- 20 min
- Length
- 150-190 words
Writadia · B2 · IELTS GT letters
NameClassDate
Your task
You live in a rented flat. The heating has not been working properly for two weeks, and you have already told your landlord once.
Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter:
- describe the problem with the heating
- explain how it is affecting you
- say what you would like the landlord to do
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Mr Collins,
Writing toolkit
Open these only when you need them. Try the first draft on your own.
Plan it in steps
- Decide the tone: you know his name, so semi-formal (polite, clear, not too stiff).
- Paragraph 1: purpose and reminder of your previous message.
- Paragraph 2: describe the problem precisely.
- Paragraph 3: effects on you.
- Paragraph 4: what you want, by when.
- Close with Yours sincerely and your full name.
Useful phrases
Opening
Describing
Effects
Requesting
Closing
Tap a phrase to add it to your text. Gaps (…) are selected so you can type over them.
Vocabulary
- radiator
- metal heater on a wallThe radiator is cold.
- boiler
- machine that heats waterThe boiler keeps switching off.
- arrange
- organisePlease arrange a repair.
- damp
- slightly wetThe walls feel damp.
- grateful
- thankfulI would be grateful for a quick reply.
Model answer (186 words)
Read it after you’ve written your own version. Notice the highlighted parts. The numbers explain why they work.
Dear Mr Collins,
I am writing about the heating in my flat, which I first reported to you by phone on 3 November. Unfortunately, the problem has still not been solved.1
For the past two weeks, the radiators in the bedroom and living room have only become slightly warm, even when the heating is set to maximum. In addition, the boiler makes a loud banging noise every evening and then switches itself off.2
As a result, the flat is extremely cold, especially at night. I work from home three days a week, and I have had to sit at my desk in a coat and gloves. I have also noticed that the bedroom walls are starting to feel damp, which worries me as damp can damage both the flat and my health.3
I would be grateful if you could arrange for a qualified engineer to inspect the boiler by the end of this week. Could you please let me know which day suits you, so that I can make sure I am at home?4
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely, Daniel Pereira
- Purpose + reminder of previous contact (covers the situation).
- Bullet 1: a precise description.
- Bullet 2: effects, including one that concerns the landlord too.
- Bullet 3: a clear, polite request with a deadline.
Teacher notes
Task Achievement in GT letters depends heavily on covering each bullet. Ask students to label paragraphs with the bullet numbers in the margin while planning.
Tone: known name + business relationship = semi-formal. Contractions are best avoided but polite warmth is fine.
Extra challenge
Write the same letter to a friend, telling them about the problem. Notice what changes.
Lesson plan
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 6 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: radiator, boiler, arrange, damp, grateful.
- 7 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “I am writing about the heating in my flat, which I mentioned to you on ...”, “The radiators in the bedroom and living room only get slightly warm.”, “The boiler makes a loud noise and switches itself off.”.
- 15 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (150-190 words)
- 5 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 2 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
Assessment rubric
| Criterion | Band 7+ | Band 6 | Band 5 | Band 4 or below | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement | Clear overview; key features selected and compared. | Overview present; some details irrelevant or missing. | No clear overview; details listed mechanically. | Task largely not addressed. | |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Logical flow; varied, natural linking; clear paragraphs. | Generally organised; linking sometimes mechanical. | Weak organisation; few or faulty linkers. | Ideas not linked. | |
| Lexical Resource | Wide, precise vocabulary; few slips. | Adequate range; some errors that do not block meaning. | Limited range; noticeable repetition and spelling errors. | Very limited; meaning often lost. | |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Variety of complex structures; most sentences error-free. | Mix of simple and complex forms; errors rarely reduce clarity. | Mostly simple forms; frequent errors. | Errors seriously affect understanding. | |
| Total | |||||
Criterion names are the official IELTS criteria; descriptors are short classroom summaries. Each criterion carries equal weight.
Task checklist
- I covered all three bullet points.
- My tone is polite and clear (semi-formal).
- I used the given opening and closed correctly.
Teacher comment
Peer-review sheet
Students swap texts and give each other feedback with this sheet.
Before you finish
Before you finish
- I covered all three bullet points.
- My tone is polite and clear (semi-formal).
- I used the given opening and closed correctly.
Writadia · B2 · IELTS GT letters
Assessment rubric: IELTS General Training Letter: Problem With Your Flat
| Criterion | Band 7+ | Band 6 | Band 5 | Band 4 or below | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement | Clear overview; key features selected and compared. | Overview present; some details irrelevant or missing. | No clear overview; details listed mechanically. | Task largely not addressed. | |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Logical flow; varied, natural linking; clear paragraphs. | Generally organised; linking sometimes mechanical. | Weak organisation; few or faulty linkers. | Ideas not linked. | |
| Lexical Resource | Wide, precise vocabulary; few slips. | Adequate range; some errors that do not block meaning. | Limited range; noticeable repetition and spelling errors. | Very limited; meaning often lost. | |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Variety of complex structures; most sentences error-free. | Mix of simple and complex forms; errors rarely reduce clarity. | Mostly simple forms; frequent errors. | Errors seriously affect understanding. | |
| Total | |||||
Criterion names are the official IELTS criteria; descriptors are short classroom summaries. Each criterion carries equal weight.
Task checklist
- I covered all three bullet points.
- My tone is polite and clear (semi-formal).
- I used the given opening and closed correctly.
Teacher comment
Writadia · B2 · IELTS GT letters
Peer-review sheet: IELTS General Training Letter: Problem With Your Flat
WriterReviewer
Read your partner’s text carefully. Be kind and specific: say why, not just “good”.
Task checklist
| Yes | Partly | No | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I covered all three bullet points. | |||
| My tone is polite and clear (semi-formal). | |||
| I used the given opening and closed correctly. |
Questions
- Does the text cover every point in the task?
- Are there paragraphs? What is each one about?
- Write two linking words the writer used.
- Is there a sentence you had to read twice?
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Writadia · B2 · IELTS GT letters
Lesson plan: IELTS General Training Letter: Problem With Your Flat
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 6 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: radiator, boiler, arrange, damp, grateful.
- 7 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “I am writing about the heating in my flat, which I mentioned to you on ...”, “The radiators in the bedroom and living room only get slightly warm.”, “The boiler makes a loud noise and switches itself off.”.
- 15 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (150-190 words)
- 5 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 2 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
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