IELTS Writing Task 1 · General Training

Formal letter: street lights out for two weeks, to the local council

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

The street lights near your home have not been working for two weeks. Write a letter to your local council. In your letter: - describe the problem and where it is - explain the effect it is having on residents - say what action you would like the council to take.

Band 8 model answer

194 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 to report that the street lights on Bankole Close, between the junction with Ikorodu Road and the primary school, have not worked for the last two weeks. All six lamps went off on the evening of 2 May and have not come on since, so the whole road is in darkness from about seven o'clock. The effect on residents has been serious. Several elderly neighbours no longer go out after dark, and my own children cannot walk back from evening lessons without an adult. Last Thursday a motorcycle taxi rider struck the kerb outside number 14 because he could not see it, and two households have reported attempted break-ins in the same fortnight, which had never happened while the road was lit. I would ask the council to send an engineer to inspect the lamps this week and to restore the lighting as a matter of urgency. In the meantime, a temporary light at the school end of the road would make the evening walk safe for the children. I would be grateful for a reply confirming when the repair will take place. Yours faithfully, Funmi Balogun

Why this answer earns band 8

"between the junction with Ikorodu Road and the primary school" pins the problem to a place a council officer could find, which is what "describe the problem and where it is" is testing under Task Achievement.
"All six lamps went off on the evening of 2 May" gives a number and a date, the precision that makes a formal complaint credible rather than vague.
"The effect on residents has been serious" is a topic sentence that signposts the second bullet before the examples, which is Coherence and Cohesion in a letter.
"which had never happened while the road was lit" is a relative clause with a past perfect, adding the contrast that turns a list of incidents into an argument, scored under Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
"as a matter of urgency", "In the meantime", "restore the lighting" are the formal collocations Lexical Resource rewards, and the request paragraph asks for a repair, an interim measure and a reply, all three in order.

The plan, reusable on any letter of this kind

Opening (40-50 words): what is wrong, exactly where, and since when, with a number.
Bullet 2 (60-70 words): the effect on residents, with two or three specific incidents.
Bullet 3 (50-60 words): the action you want, a temporary measure meanwhile, and a request for a reply.
Close: "Yours faithfully" because the recipient is unnamed.

Phrases worth learning

I am writing to report that	to open a formal letter about a problem
have not worked for the last two weeks	present perfect for a problem that continues
The effect on residents has been serious	a topic sentence for the impact paragraph
as a matter of urgency	to ask for fast action formally
I would be grateful for a reply confirming when	to ask for a commitment, not just a reply

The incidents are invented for the model and that is fine in the exam: the examiner never checks them. What is not fine is a vague effect ("it is very dangerous") where a specific one would earn the mark.

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 194 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.