General Training Task 1 letter

IELTS General Training Letter: Faulty product bought online

Question type: General Training Task 1: formal letter of complaint

The question

You recently bought a piece of electrical equipment from an online shop. When it arrived, it did not work properly.

Write a letter to the company. In your letter: - describe what you bought - explain what is wrong with it - say what you would like the company to do

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear ...

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How to approach it

Give the facts first: what you ordered, when, and the order number.
Describe the fault exactly, so the company cannot say you used it wrongly.
Say clearly what you want (a refund or a replacement) and by when.

Sample letter

194 words (minimum 150). Written to show the features of a Band 8-level answer.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about a coffee machine that I ordered from your website on 3 March. The order number is KM-48213, and the machine was delivered to my home four days later.

Unfortunately, the machine has not worked properly since the first time I used it. Although it switches on, the water does not heat up, so it is impossible to make a hot drink. In addition, when I unpacked it, I noticed that the glass jug had a small crack near the handle. I followed the instructions in the manual carefully and tried the machine with a different socket, but the problem remained.

I was disappointed to receive an item in this condition, particularly as I paid extra for fast delivery. I telephoned your customer service line twice last week, but nobody answered either call.

I would therefore like you to send me a replacement machine as soon as possible and to arrange for the faulty one to be collected at your expense. If a replacement is not available, I would expect a full refund, including the delivery charge.

I look forward to hearing from you within the next seven days.

Yours faithfully,

Maria Kowalska

Useful language from this answer

I am writing to complain about…: the standard opening for a complaint
the order number is…: giving the details the company needs
I was disappointed to receive…: expressing dissatisfaction politely
I would therefore like you to…: stating what you want
at your expense: the company pays, not you

Common mistakes with this question

Being rude or emotional. A firm, polite tone is more effective and scores higher.
Forgetting the third bullet point. You must say what you want the company to do.
Ending with 'Yours sincerely' after 'Dear Sir or Madam'. The correct ending is 'Yours faithfully'.

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This model answer was written by TestWise Prep to show the features of a high-scoring answer. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise.