Read the following Writing Task 1 prompt and then complete Practice 2.
Writing Task 1 (Informal)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You recently bought a product from a friend, but it turned out to be faulty. Write a letter to your friend to tell them the issue. In your letter:
- Describe the product.
- Explain the problem with it.
- Say what you want your friend to do about it.
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Hi...
Exercise 2
Read the following answer and try to find 3 errors in the use of cohesive devices that might confuse examiners or reduce clarity.
Hi Stan,
I hope you’re doing well! I wanted to let you know about an issue with the speaker I bought from you recently.
It’s the Sony wireless Bluetooth XB450 model—the one with the sleek black design that looked perfect for my setup.
The problem is, it’s not working quite as expected. It keeps disconnecting from my phone even if I’m sitting right next to it, and the sound sometimes crackles or cuts out. I’ve tried everything—resetting it, updating my phone’s software, and I even used a different device—but no luck.
Would it be possible for me to either return it to you for a refund nor maybe swap it for another one if you have a spare? Let me know what works best for you. I know you didn’t mean to sell me a faulty one, so no worries—just hoping we can sort it out.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Cheers,
Mike
Errors in Cohesive Devices:
- "even if" in paragraph 3 is incorrect; it should be "even when" since the condition is factual.
- "and" in paragraph 3 is misused because it introduces redundancy; "I even used" already connects naturally.
- "nor" in paragraph 4 is incorrect; it should be "or" to list the alternatives properly.
This correct version should be:
Hi Stan,
I hope you’re doing well! I wanted to let you know about an issue with the speaker I bought from you recently.
It’s the Sony wireless Bluetooth XB450 model—the one with the sleek black design that looked perfect for my setup.
The problem is, it’s not working quite as expected. It keeps disconnecting from my phone even if when I’m sitting right next to it, and the sound sometimes crackles or cuts out. I’ve tried everything—resetting it, updating my phone’s software, and I even used a different device—but no luck.
Would it be possible for me to either return it to you for a refund or maybe swap it for another one if you have a spare? Let me know what works best for you. I know you didn’t mean to sell me a faulty one, so no worries—just hoping we can sort it out.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Cheers,
Mike
Cohesive Devices Highlighted:
- recently - Time marker for coherence.
- that - Refers to the design, linking the description to the product.
- even when - Indicates a factual condition.
- sometimes - Temporal marker for frequency.
- and even - Adds emphasis to the list of actions.
- would - Politeness marker for a hypothetical request.
- or - Lists alternatives.
- if - Conditional clause.
- what - Refers to the best course of action for the friend.
- just - Emphasizes a simple, hopeful resolution.
- soon - Temporal marker indicating expectation.