You ordered a new chequebook from your bank two weeks ago but have received nothing. Write a letter to the manager complaining about the bad service. In your letter: - say when and how you ordered the chequebook - ask how much longer you will have to wait - ask what action the manager will take
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, Not sure whether you would exactly like to read this letter, but I am left with no other choice but to take this matter to you. When I opened a bank account with your branch a couple of weeks agoabout a couple of weeks ago, I was told that I was entitled to receive a new chequebook, free of charge, within the next few days if I applied for oneif I had applied for it. So, I filled out the application and submitted it on the same day. But unfortunately, I haven’t received anything as yet. In additionBy the way, I have even called your bank about this matter but no definitive answer was provided. Therefore, I would like to ask you how much longer I willwould need to wait to receive my new chequebook. I would also like to know exactly what action you will takewhat actions exactly you are going to take to expedite the process because I am in urgent need of access to my fundsreally in need of some money now, and I just do not see how I can withdrawdon’t see how possibly I could be able to withdraw any money from my bank account without those cheques. I will be waiting for your urgent response. Yours faithfully, Sonia Mirza
Why this response received Band 7.0
The letter covers every requested point and uses a suitably formal complaint structure, with the timing, application method, wait-time question, and request for action all clear. Its main weakness is an occasionally confrontational or awkward tone, reinforced by some cumbersome phrasing and one-paragraph organisation. Prioritise a more measured opening and divide the content into clear purpose, background, and requested-action paragraphs.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose and all three bullet points are clearly addressed with relevant supporting detail, although the opening is unnecessarily confrontational.
Use a measured opening that states the service problem directly while maintaining a consistently professional tone.
Coherence and Cohesion
The information follows a logical sequence and cohesive devices generally clarify relationships, but presenting the whole letter as one paragraph weakens organisation.
Separate the purpose, background, and requested resolution into distinct paragraphs and reduce conversational transitions such as 'By the way'.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and often precise, including effective formal choices such as 'entitled', 'definitive', and 'expedite', despite several awkward collocations.
Replace unnatural phrases such as 'take this matter to you' with concise, idiomatic formal wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good range of complex structures is used with generally strong control, though a few sentences become cumbersome or unnatural.
Simplify overextended constructions such as 'how possibly I could be able to withdraw' to improve grammatical precision.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You ordered a new chequebook from your bank two weeks ago but have received nothing. Write a letter to the manager complaining about the bad service. In your letter:
- say when and how you ordered the chequebook
- ask how much longer you will have to wait
- ask what action the manager will take
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.