General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · complaint

Formal Letter to Local Council Regarding Waste Management

The system used for rubbish/garbage collection in your local area is not working properly. This is causing problems for you and your neighbors.

Write a letter to the local council. In your letter:

describe how the rubbish collection system is not working properly
explain how this is affecting you and your neighbors
suggest what should be done about the problem

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

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction regarding the increasingly unreliable rubbish collection services provided in the Oakwood residential area. Over the past month, the scheduled weekly collections have been missed on three separate occasions without any prior notification or explanation from the council.

This inconsistency has led to significant issues for my neighbors and myself. As the waste bins remain unemptied for extended periods, they have begun to overflow, creating an unsightly environment and attracting vermin. Furthermore, the strong, unpleasant odour emanating from the accumulated refuse is becoming unbearable, particularly during these warmer days, which prevents us from opening our windows or enjoying our gardens.

To resolve this, I suggest that the council reviews the current contract with the waste management provider to ensure they are meeting their service level agreements. Additionally, implementing an automated SMS alert system would be highly beneficial, allowing residents to receive timely updates if a collection is delayed. I trust that you will treat this matter with the urgency it requires and restore our regular service promptly.

I look forward to your prompt response regarding this issue.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

192 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 consistent, professional tone and precise vocabulary. The most common Band 6 mistake is failing to suggest a constructive solution, instead focusing only on venting frustration or using overly aggressive language.

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

unreliable: not able to be trusted or counted on
overflow: to spill over the edges of a container
vermin: wild animals or insects that are harmful pests
emanating: issuing or spreading out from a source
service level agreements: contracts defining the expected quality of a service
urgency: importance requiring swift action or attention

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.