General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · complaint

Formal complaint regarding unresolved car rental AC issue

You rented a car from a car rental company. The air conditioner has stopped working. You phoned the company a week ago but it still has not been repaired.

Write a letter to the company. In your letter:

introduce yourself
explain the situation
say what action you would like the company to take

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Customer Service Team,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding a vehicle I currently have on hire from your agency, specifically the silver Toyota Corolla, registration number AB12 XYZ, which I collected on the 1st of this month.

Shortly after commencing my rental, the air conditioning system ceased functioning entirely. Given the current high temperatures, driving has become increasingly uncomfortable and, at times, hazardous. I contacted your office by telephone last Tuesday to report this technical failure and was assured that a technician would be dispatched to rectify the problem within forty-eight hours. However, a full week has elapsed, and I have yet to receive any communication or service visit regarding this matter.

As the vehicle is currently unfit for the purpose for which it was hired, I request that you either arrange for an immediate repair by the end of tomorrow or provide a replacement vehicle of an equivalent standard. Furthermore, I expect a partial refund of my rental fees to compensate for the inconvenience caused by this prolonged defect. I look forward to your prompt response confirming the actions you intend to take.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

191 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a professional, consistent tone and precise vocabulary. The most common mistake for Band 6 candidates is failing to link the complaint to the previous phone call, thereby missing the urgency of the situation.

Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

Useful phrases from the letter

ceased functioning: stopped working or operating in a normal way
rectify: to put something right or correct a mistake
elapsed: passed or gone by in terms of time
unfit for the purpose: not suitable for the intended use or task
equivalent standard: of the same quality or level as before
prolonged defect: a fault or problem that lasts too long

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Practise IELTS General writing

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Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

How long should an IELTS General Training letter be?

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.