General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · complaint

Letter to bank manager complaining about missing chequebook

You ordered a new chequebook from your bank two weeks ago but you have received nothing.

Write a letter to the manager complaining about the bad service. In your letter:

say when and how you ordered the checkbook
ask how much longer you will have to wait
ask the manager what action he will take over this matter

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 a chequebook I requested which has failed to arrive.

On 12th October, I submitted an official request for a new chequebook through your bank's mobile application. I received an automated confirmation email stating that the item would be dispatched via first-class post within three working days. Despite this assurance, two weeks have passed and my mailbox remains empty.

Could you please clarify the current status of this delivery and provide an estimated arrival date? I have urgent financial commitments that require the use of cheques, and this delay is causing significant inconvenience to my personal affairs.

I would appreciate it if you could investigate why this request was not processed as promised. Please confirm whether the chequebook has been lost in transit and if you intend to cancel the original order to issue a replacement immediately. I look forward to your prompt response regarding the steps you will take to rectify this failure in service.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Pendelton

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

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with a clear, consistent formal tone and relevant, specific details. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to ask the manager specifically what action they will take, often resulting in an incomplete response to the prompt's final requirement.

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
dispatched: sent off to a destination or for a purpose
financial commitments: obligations to pay money for services or debts
inconvenience: trouble or difficulty caused to someone's personal plans
transit: the process of being moved from one place
rectify: to put something right or correct a mistake

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.