IELTS Writing Task 1 · General Training

Complaint letter: an electronic item that arrived damaged

A real-format letter task with a band 8 formal letter, the plan behind it, and the phrases worth keeping. Aim for 150 to 190 words in 20 minutes.

The task

You recently bought an electronic item online, but it arrived damaged. Write a letter to the company. In your letter: - describe what you bought and what is wrong with it - explain how the problem has affected you - say what you would like the company to do.

Band 8 model answer

176 words. The minimum is 150, and anything under it is penalised on Task Achievement; a strong answer sits between 150 and 190, which leaves time to check the figures.

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing about a wireless speaker, order number 44812, which I bought from your website on 3 March and received four days later. When I opened the box, the front grille was dented and the power button was loose. The speaker switches on, but it cuts out after a few minutes, so it cannot be used as intended. This has been more than an inconvenience. I bought the speaker as a birthday present for my father and had to give him the damaged unit, which was embarrassing. I have also spent two evenings on your customer service line without reaching anyone who could help. I would like you to send a replacement speaker by courier and to collect the damaged one at the same time, at no cost to me. If a replacement is not available, please refund the full price of $89 to my original card within seven days. I have attached photographs of the damage and my order confirmation. I look forward to your reply. Yours faithfully, Adaeze Okafor

Why this answer earns band 8

"Dear Sir or Madam" paired with "Yours faithfully" is the correct formal convention for an unnamed recipient, the first thing Task Achievement checks in a letter.
"order number 44812, which I bought from your website on 3 March" gives the reader everything they need to act, and detail like this is what makes a complaint credible rather than angry.
"This has been more than an inconvenience" opens the second bullet with a sentence that announces its purpose, so the three bullets land in three clearly separated paragraphs, which is Coherence and Cohesion.
"I would like you to send a replacement ... If a replacement is not available, please refund" states a request and a fallback, the Task Achievement move that shows the writer has thought the situation through.
"cuts out after a few minutes", "at no cost to me", "within seven days" are precise, natural collocations under Lexical Resource, and the letter never once uses "very".

The plan, reusable on any letter of this kind

Opening (1 sentence): why you are writing, with the item, the order reference and the dates.
Bullet 1 (40-50 words): what is wrong, in specific physical detail.
Bullet 2 (40-50 words): the effect on you, one concrete example, no exaggeration.
Bullet 3 (50-60 words): exactly what you want, with a deadline and a fallback, then a formal close.

Phrases worth learning

I am writing about	the plainest formal opening; better than "I am writing to complain" because it states the subject first
cannot be used as intended	to describe a fault without technical vocabulary
This has been more than an inconvenience	to introduce the effect on you in a formal register
at no cost to me	in any request for a replacement, repair or collection
I look forward to your reply	the standard formal closing line before the sign-off

The names, order number and dates are invented for the model, which is exactly what you should do in the exam: the examiner rewards specific, plausible detail and never checks it.

Questions about this answer

What band is this model answer?

It is written to band 8, and the notes under it quote the answer's own words to show why.

How long should a Task 1 answer be?

Aim for 150 to 190 words in 20 minutes. This model answer is 176 words, and anything under 150 is penalised on Task Achievement.

What is the most common mistake on Task 1?

Writing under the 150 word minimum, which is penalised on Task Achievement, or missing one of the three bullet points.