You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Your neighbor’s dog is causing a disturbance at night.

Write a letter to your neighbor. In your letter include:

  • What the problem is
  • How it is affecting you
  • A suggestion for solving the problem

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Mr./Mrs. ….,

 

Dear Mr. Heckles,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to bring to your attention a minor issue that I’ve been experiencing lately. Your dog has been barking quite frequently during the night, and it has been causing some disturbance, especially in the late hours.

Unfortunately, the noise has been affecting my sleep, and I have found it difficult to concentrate at work the following day. While I completely understand that pets can be unpredictable, I wanted to mention this to you as it has started to impact my daily routine.

If it’s possible, perhaps you could consider keeping the dog indoors during the night or even looking into ways to train him to stay quieter during those hours. I believe this would help alleviate the problem without causing too much inconvenience to either of us.

Thank you for your understanding, and I look forward to resolving this issue together.

Kind regards,

Monica Geller

154 words

 

Band Score:

  1. Task Achievement (9/9):

The letter covers all aspects of the task:

  • The problem of the barking dog is clearly stated in the second sentence.
  • The effect on the writer is well-explained, noting that the noise is disturbing sleep and concentration.
  • The writer offers a polite and constructive suggestion (keeping the dog indoors or considering training), which shows a cooperative approach to resolving the issue.

The letter addresses the task thoroughly and offers relevant details, leading to a Band 9 for Task Achievement.

  1. Cohesion & Coherence (9/9):

The letter is logically structured, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The ideas flow naturally from identifying the problem, explaining its impact, and providing a solution. Cohesive devices such as “unfortunately,” “while I completely understand,” and “if it’s possible” enhance the flow between paragraphs.

There is a clear sense of purpose in each paragraph, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the points being made.

  1. Grammatical Range & Accuracy (9/9):

The writer uses a variety of grammatical structures accurately:

  • “Your dog has been barking quite frequently during the night.”
  • “I have found it difficult to concentrate at work the following day.”
  • “If it’s possible, perhaps you could consider keeping the dog indoors during the night.”

The sentence structures are varied and correct, with no errors in grammar, punctuation, or sentence formation. The mix of conditional sentences and polite requests demonstrates a strong command of grammar.

  1. Lexical Resource (9/9):

The vocabulary is appropriate for a semi-formal letter and includes a range of expressions:

  • Words like “disturbance,” “affecting,” and “concentrate” show precision.
  • Polite phrases such as “I completely understand” and “perhaps you could consider” reflect the semi-formal tone.
  • The writer avoids repetition, using varied vocabulary to express similar ideas, such as “disturbance” instead of just “noise.”

This varied and accurate use of vocabulary supports a Band 9 score for Lexical Resource.

 

Summary of Scores:

Criterion

Score

Task Achievement

9

Cohesion & Coherence

9

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

9

Lexical Resource

9

 

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