General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · complaint

Formal Letter of Complaint to Bus Company Manager

You have lost something on a bus and called customer service to get help. You weren't happy with their response.

Write a letter to the bus company manager. In your letter:

describe the item you lost
explain why you weren't happy with the customer service
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 Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding the handling of a lost property report I filed yesterday following a journey on your number 42 bus route.

I left a dark navy leather briefcase on the bus at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Inside, there are several confidential legal documents and a silver laptop, which are of significant professional importance to me. I have already provided the specific bus registration number and the exact time of my departure to your staff.

Unfortunately, my interaction with your customer service department was deeply disappointing. When I called this morning, the representative was dismissive and insisted that no items had been turned in, despite my clear description. When I requested to speak with a supervisor to initiate a more thorough search of the vehicle, my request was abruptly denied, and the call was terminated.

I would appreciate it if you could personally oversee a search of the bus depot’s lost property section and contact the driver of that specific shift. Furthermore, I request a formal apology for the unprofessional conduct of your staff. I look forward to your prompt response regarding the whereabouts of my belongings.

Yours faithfully,

Julian Thorne

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all bullet points with a professional, consistent tone and sophisticated vocabulary. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to specify what action is required, often by giving only vague suggestions rather than a clear request.

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

dissatisfaction: a feeling of unhappiness because something is not good
confidential: intended to be kept secret or private
dismissive: showing that you think something is not worth considering
initiated: to cause a process or action to begin
oversee: to supervise a person or work during an activity
whereabouts: the place where someone or something is located

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.