Practise under exam conditionsTask 1 letter · 20 minutes and at least 150 words, like the real test.
This is a practice question for IELTS Writing Task 1 (General Training).
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task and write at least 150 words.
Writing Task 1#
You have recently purchased a new laptop from an online electronics store. Upon receiving the product, you discovered that it doesn’t work as advertised.
Write a letter to the store manager. In your letter:
- Explain the situation and describe the problem with the laptop
- Express your disappointment and the inconvenience caused
- Request a solution (e.g., replacement, refund, or repair)
Task Instructions#
- You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
- Write at least 150 words.
- Do NOT write any addresses.
- Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir/Madam,
Sample Answer Outline
- Introduction: State the purpose of the letter
- Body Paragraph 1: You should explain the situation and describe the problem
- Body Paragraph 2: Express disappointment and inconvenience
- Body Paragraph 3: You should request a solution
- Conclusion: Polite closing and expectation of a prompt response
Model answer (Band 8 style)
Write your own answer first, then compare structure and vocabulary. Task 1 (General Training letter) · 215 words.
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Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing regarding a laptop I purchased from your online store on 12 May (order reference TL-30457), which does not work as advertised.
According to your website, the laptop has a battery life of up to ten hours and comes with a backlit keyboard and 16GB of memory. However, when the laptop arrived, I discovered that the battery lasts barely three hours, the keyboard has no backlight at all, and the system information shows only 8GB of memory. In addition, the laptop overheats after about twenty minutes of use and becomes uncomfortably hot to touch.
I must say I am extremely disappointed. I chose this model specifically because of the features described on your website, and I paid a considerable amount of money for it. As I work from home, I depend on a reliable computer, and these problems have caused me serious inconvenience, as I have had to borrow a colleague’s laptop to meet my deadlines.
I would therefore like you to replace the laptop with one that matches the advertised specifications. If this is not possible, I request a full refund. Please let me know how you would like me to return the faulty item.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully, Michael Owen
Task Achievement
Each bullet point is addressed: the situation and specific faults, disappointment and inconvenience, and a clear request with an alternative.
Coherence & Cohesion
Well-organised paragraphs with logical linking (“However”, “In addition”, “therefore”).
Lexical Resource
Formal vocabulary for complaints: as advertised, specifications, considerable amount, serious inconvenience, faulty item.
Grammatical Range
Varied grammar: present perfect, relative clauses, conditionals and accurate comparatives.
Want your own writing scored? With Worddemy Pro, paste it into the app and get a band score with feedback on all four criteria.
Evaluation Criteria#
For more writing tasks, you can visit Practice Letter.