General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · complaint

Formal Letter to Store Manager Regarding Defective Electronics

You recently bought an expensive electronic product from a store and found that the product does not work properly.

Write a letter to the store manager. In your letter:

complain about the problem
propose action for the store to take
request confirmation that this is agreed

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 with a high-end Zenith noise-cancelling headset I purchased from your branch on 12 October. Despite the premium price, the device has failed to function correctly since I unboxed it.

The left earcup produces a persistent, high-pitched static noise whenever the Bluetooth connection is active. Furthermore, the battery fails to hold a charge for more than thirty minutes, which is entirely unacceptable for a product marketed as having a forty-hour lifespan. I have attempted to reset the device according to the manual, yet the issues persist.

Given that the item is clearly faulty, I would like to request a full refund or an immediate replacement with a brand-new, tested unit. I have enclosed a copy of my receipt and the original warranty documentation for your reference.

Please confirm in writing that you are prepared to process this return and provide instructions on how to handle the shipment back to your store. I trust this matter will be resolved promptly.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response addresses all bullet points with clear, relevant details and maintains a consistently professional, formal tone throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to explicitly request confirmation of the proposed action or using overly emotional language instead of a clear, objective 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

dissatisfaction: a feeling of unhappiness about a service or product
persistent: continuing to happen in a way that is annoying
unacceptable: so bad that it should not be allowed
faulty: not working correctly or having a defect
documentation: official papers used as proof of a transaction
promptly: done without any delay or very quickly

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.