IELTS Sample Letter

Writing task 1

The following question appeared in an IELTS writing test held in India recently.

You had a minor accident in the kitchen of your rented apartment. Write a letter to your landlord explaining what had happened.
In your letter you have to explain what had happened, the extent of damage / problem and what you expect the landlord to do.

You can spend 20 minutes on this task. You have to write at least 150 words

Model Answer

Dear James

I regret having to inform you that we had a minor accident in the kitchen of your apartment yesterday. I am writing this letter to let you know exactly what had happened.

Yesterday my wife was cooking some beans in the pressure cooker. She had mistakenly filled the cooker over two-thirds full. Unfortunately the cooked beans blocked the vents which caused the cooker to overheat and explode. As my wife was in the garden at the time of the accident she wasn’t injured. However, the explosion spewed the beans all over the ceiling and the walls. The walls now have stains all over them.

We would like to offer to cover the cost of painting the walls and the ceiling as we are the cause of this problem. In case, you don’t mind we request you to come over so that we can discuss what needs to be done.

Yours sincerely
John