General Training Writing

Write your own response before opening this example. This is a sample from the book, not a score or assessment of your writing.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about a bookcase that I ordered from your shop on 3 March and which was delivered to my home last Friday.

The item is the "Oxford" five-shelf bookcase in dark oak, which cost £189. I chose it after seeing it on display in your store, and I paid an additional £25 for home delivery.

Unfortunately, when I unpacked the bookcase, I discovered that it had been badly damaged. There is a deep scratch, about 20 centimetres long, across one of the side panels, and the corner of the top shelf is cracked. It appears that the damage happened during delivery, as the cardboard packaging was also torn in the same places. As the scratch is clearly visible from the front, the bookcase is not something I would be happy to have in my living room.

I would therefore be grateful if you could arrange for the damaged bookcase to be collected and replaced with a new one as soon as possible. If a replacement is not available, I would like a full refund, including the delivery charge.

I have attached photographs of the damage and a copy of my receipt. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Okafor

Commentary

• TA: All three bullet points are clearly covered and developed. The writer describes the item precisely (name, colour, price), explains the damage in detail, and makes a clear request with a sensible alternative. The tone is firm but polite, which suits a formal complaint.
• CC: The letter has a clear purpose in the first line, and each bullet point has its own paragraph. "Unfortunately", "therefore" and "If a replacement is not available" guide the reader logically.
• LR: The language is appropriately formal ("I would be grateful if you could arrange…", "a full refund"), with precise descriptive vocabulary ("deep scratch", "side panels", "cracked").
• GRA: A range of structures is used accurately, including past perfect ("had been badly damaged"), relative clauses and conditionals.
• Note: "Yours faithfully" is correct because the letter begins "Dear Sir or Madam". If you know the manager's name, begin "Dear Mr/Ms …" and end "Yours sincerely".

Write your own response before opening this example. This is a sample from the book, not a score or assessment of your writing.

In many parts of the world, single-person households are becoming increasingly common. This trend has several causes, and although it brings some risks, I believe it is largely a positive development.

One of the main reasons for this change is that people are marrying later than in the past, or not marrying at all. Young adults often spend several years studying and building a career before they settle down, and many prefer to have their own home during this period rather than share. Another factor is that people are living longer. As a result, there are more elderly people whose partners have died and who continue to live independently in their own homes. Finally, in wealthier societies, more people can simply afford to live alone, which was not possible for earlier generations.

In many ways, this is a positive development. Living alone gives people freedom and privacy. They can organise their homes and their time exactly as they wish, and many people find that this independence helps them to become more confident and self-reliant. For older people, being able to stay in their own homes is often far preferable to moving in with relatives or into a care home.

However, there are also disadvantages. People who live alone may become lonely, especially if they work from home or have few friends or family nearby, and loneliness has been linked to both physical and mental health problems. In addition, single-person households use more housing and energy per person, which can add to housing shortages in crowded cities.

Overall, I believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, as long as people who live alone stay connected to others. Communities and governments can help by supporting local clubs, shared spaces and services that check on elderly people who live by themselves.

Commentary

• TR: Both questions are answered. The second paragraph explains three causes, and the writer's position ("largely a positive development") is stated in the introduction and the conclusion. The disadvantages are acknowledged rather than ignored, which makes the opinion more convincing.
• CC: The essay moves logically from causes to advantages, disadvantages and a conclusion. Linking expressions ("One of the main reasons", "Another factor", "Finally", "However", "In addition") are used accurately without being overused.
• LR: There is good topic vocabulary, for example "single-person households", "settle down", "self-reliant", "housing shortages", "care home".
• GRA: Complex sentences are used accurately, including relative clauses ("whose partners have died"), passives ("has been linked") and comparative structures.
• Possible improvements: The final suggestions are brief and could be developed further, and the examples are general rather than specific.