General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · complaint

Formal complaint to the British Council regarding testing

You recently took an IELTS test and there were some problems that you believe affected your score.

Write a letter to the British Council or IDP. In your letter:

explain what happened
say if other candidates were affected
explain what you would like the BC/IDP to do

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Examination Manager,

I am writing to formally express my concerns regarding the IELTS test I took at the Grand Hall centre on 15th October, which I believe negatively impacted my performance.

During the listening module, the audio equipment malfunctioned repeatedly. The sound cut out for approximately thirty seconds on two separate occasions, leading to the loss of four questions. Despite several candidates raising their hands immediately to notify the invigilators, the technical issues persisted throughout the session, causing significant stress and preventing me from focusing on the remaining tasks.

It was evident that this was not an isolated incident. I observed many other test-takers looking distressed, and several individuals seated near me confirmed during the break that they had missed the same audio segments. The collective frustration in the room was palpable and clearly hindered our ability to complete the exam under standard conditions.

Given these circumstances, I kindly request that you review my case. I would appreciate the opportunity to retake the listening component, or alternatively, receive a full refund for the examination fee. I have attached my candidate number for your reference and look forward to your prompt response.

Yours faithfully,

Julian Thorne

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response addresses all bullet points with specific, plausible details and maintains a consistently formal register throughout. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide enough specific detail about the incident, resulting in a generic letter that lacks the necessary focus to justify a formal complaint.

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

malfunctioned: failed to operate in the normal or expected way
invigilators: people who supervise students during an examination
persisted: continued to exist despite difficulty or opposition
isolated incident: a single event that is not part of a pattern
palpable: a feeling so intense it seems almost physical
standard conditions: the normal or expected environment for a task

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

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

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.