You are not happy about a service you received a couple of days ago from a company and you have decided to complain about it. Write a letter to the company to complain about the poor service you received from its employee. In your letter express: - why you went to the shop/office - how the employees behaved to offend you - what you expect the company to do
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to register a complaint with you regarding poor service, and the rude attitude by your staff that I experienced last Monday when I visited your shop. I am hoping you would take proper steps so that no other customer feels humiliated the way I did. I went to your shop on Monday, 24th November, with the intention of purchasing a microwave oven for my home. While I was in your shop, not a single employee approached and offered me any assistance! They were watching a soap opera on the television and were fully focused on the show. I decided to ask one of the employees for help but he showed no interest to help me. He was actually rude when I asked him what type of microwave ovens were available in the shop and if he could assist me. He pointed out his finger to another employee and this gesture was extremely awkward. I was not there to ask a favour, rather, to purchase a product and the unprofessional employees you have are surely going to cost your business. I regret to have been in your shop and will never be there. However, you should know how poorly your staff treats your customers. I am hoping you would take the proper initiative to offer a better customer experience in the future by hiring more professional employees.
Yours faithfully, Irene Byers
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Correct complaint phrase Original: with you regarding Suggested revision: about Why it matters: The verb phrase is more naturally formed as 'register a complaint about' the service.
- 2. Use natural phrasing Original: poor service, and the rude attitude by your staff Suggested revision: the poor service and rude attitude of your staff Why it matters: This removes the unnecessary comma and uses the natural preposition with 'attitude'.
- 3. Make request direct Original: I am hoping you would take Suggested revision: I hope you will take Why it matters: The present form makes the requested future action clearer and more direct.
- 4. Choose precise wording Original: proper steps Suggested revision: appropriate action Why it matters: 'Appropriate action' is a more natural formal collocation in a complaint.
- 5. Clarify comparison Original: feels humiliated the way I did Suggested revision: is treated as disrespectfully as I was Why it matters: This wording states the comparison more precisely and formally.
- 6. Fix negative coordination Original: approached and offered me Suggested revision: approached me or offered Why it matters: After 'not a single employee', 'or' correctly joins the two actions that did not happen.
- 7. Use concise wording Original: fully focused on the show Suggested revision: completely absorbed in the programme Why it matters: This is a more concise and formal description of the employees' inattention.
- 8. Correct verb pattern Original: showed no interest to help me Suggested revision: showed no interest in helping me Why it matters: The noun 'interest' takes 'in' followed by a gerund in this construction.
- 9. Align number forms Original: what type of microwave ovens Suggested revision: what types of microwave oven Why it matters: The plural 'types' fits a question about several available categories.
- 10. Correct pointing phrase Original: pointed out his finger to another employee Suggested revision: pointed at another employee Why it matters: 'Point at' is the natural expression for indicating a person with a finger.
- 11. Describe conduct precisely Original: this gesture was extremely awkward Suggested revision: this dismissive gesture was extremely rude Why it matters: The revision identifies why the gesture was objectionable instead of calling it vaguely awkward.
- 12. Use possessive form Original: the unprofessional employees you have Suggested revision: your unprofessional employees Why it matters: The possessive determiner expresses the relationship more concisely.
Suggested Rewrites
- with you regarding about
- poor service, and the rude attitude by your staff the poor service and rude attitude of your staff
- I am hoping you would take I hope you will take
- proper steps appropriate action
- feels humiliated the way I did is treated as disrespectfully as I was
- approached and offered me approached me or offered
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter fully establishes the complaint, clearly explains the visit and the employees' conduct, and makes an appropriate request for action in a firm, generally suitable tone. Its main weakness is that some phrasing is awkward or overly forceful, while the single-block presentation limits readability. Prioritise more natural complaint language and clearer paragraphing for the incident and requested resolution.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all three bullet points are fully addressed, and the complaint is developed with specific relevant detail.
State the desired company response more precisely, such as an investigation, apology, or staff training, while maintaining a measured formal tone.
Coherence and Cohesion
The information progresses logically from the reason for writing through the incident to the requested action, although it is presented in one dense body block.
Separate the purpose, account of the incident, and requested resolution into distinct paragraphs to make the progression easier to follow.
Lexical Resource
The letter uses a good range of complaint and service-related vocabulary, but several collocations such as 'pointed out his finger' and 'take the proper initiative' are unnatural.
Use more idiomatic combinations, for example 'pointed me towards another employee' and 'take appropriate action'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of complex sentences is used with generally secure control, while a few article, preposition, and punctuation choices reduce precision.
Review complex clauses and verb patterns, especially forms such as 'showed no interest in helping me', and avoid unnecessary comma breaks.