Two weeks ago you bought a radio from a local branch of a well-known chain shop. It did not work properly. The shop took it back and said they would repair it. You have waited a week and still, it is not ready. Write a letter to the shop to complain about it. In your letter: - explain what has happened - how you feel about it - ask them to repair the radio soon or supply you with a new radio
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, Two weeks ago, I purchasedTwo weeks ago I purchased a brand-new Revo radiobrand new Revo radio from your store on Baker Street. I was excited to have it but very disappointed to find that the product was defective and unusablepoorly produced and unusable. Although I returned itEven after I returned it to your store last Monday to claim the warranty, I have not heard anything yet. I am hoping you will either repair or replace it. In relation to the specifics of the order, I purchased this Revo Super Signal Deluxe AM/FM Radio from one of your Revo brand shops on August 17th, paying in cashon August 17th using cash. The order number is 9542105 and I am attaching a copy of my receipt. The issue with the radio is that I cannot tune in to any FM radio channelI am unable to tune in to any FM radio channel and the sound quality is poor. I’m sure this is a manufacturing flaw. As a solution, and because I really like the model and functionality of this radio, I am hoping that you will agree to repair the issues or provide me with a newfresh one. If that is not possible, I would like a full refundOtherwise, I would like a full refund and I will be contacting the Consumer Rights Bureau if I do not hear back from you regarding this matterin regards to this within seven dayswithin a week. Thank you for giving thisthe matter your attention and I hope to hear your reply soon. Yours faithfully, Robert Henry
Why this response received Band 8.0
The letter communicates the complaint fully and firmly, supporting its requested remedy with precise purchase, fault, warranty, and deadline details as well as effective formal vocabulary. Its main limitation is presentation: the single long paragraph, a few wordy or informal phrases, and minor punctuation issues reduce polish, so the highest-priority improvement is to divide the content into clear functional paragraphs and tighten the wording.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The letter clearly explains the purchase, the repair delay, the writer's frustration, and the requested repair, replacement, or refund. The complaint is complete and appropriately firm.
Add the exact date the shop took the radio back if possible, so the timeline is fully precise.
Coherence and Cohesion
The sequence is clear and the complaint develops logically, but the single-paragraph presentation makes a formal letter less easy to scan.
Use paragraphs for purchase details, the unresolved repair, and the requested remedy with deadline.
Lexical Resource
The letter uses effective complaint vocabulary such as 'manufacturing flaw', 'warranty', and 'full refund'. Some phrases can be made more concise and formal.
Replace informal or wordy phrases with complaint-letter collocations such as 'defective', 'under warranty', and 'regarding this matter'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Grammar is strong overall, with minor issues in punctuation, prepositions, and clause length.
Check commas after introductory time phrases and avoid informal phrases such as 'in regards to'.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
Two weeks ago you bought a radio from a local branch of a well-known chain shop. It did not work properly. The shop took it back and said they would repair it. You have waited a week and still, it is not ready. Write a letter to the shop to complain about it. In your letter:
- explain what has happened
- how you feel about it
- ask them to repair the radio soon or supply you with a new radio
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.