IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Practice Question

Welcome to this IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 practice question.

This task is designed to assess your ability to produce a written response appropriate to the context provided.

You should spend approximately 20 minutes on this section of the test and write at least 150 words.

This practice question will help you prepare for the letter-writing component of the IELTS General Training Writing module.

Task Instructions#

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You recently purchased a new smartphone online, but when it arrived, you discovered several issues with it. Write a letter to the customer service department of the company. In your letter:

• Explain when and where you purchased the smartphone
• Describe the problems you have experienced with it
• Request specific action from the company

Write at least 150 words.

Do NOT write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Sample Answer Outline#

A high-scoring response to this task would typically follow this structure:

1. Introduction: Begin with “Dear Sir/Madam,” followed by a clear statement of purpose explaining why you are writing.
2. Body Paragraphs:
   • First paragraph: You should provide details about your purchase (date, method, order number if applicable)
   • Second paragraph: You can clearly describe the specific problems with the smartphone (be precise and detailed)
   • Third paragraph: State exactly what action you expect the company to take
3. Conclusion: End with an appropriate closing remark and sign-off (e.g., “Yours faithfully” for formal letters when you don’t know the recipient’s name)

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Post Your Practice Essay#

We encourage you to time yourself and write a complete response to this practice question.

Model answer (Band 8 style)

Write your own answer first, then compare structure and vocabulary. Task 1 (General Training letter) · 210 words.

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Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about a smartphone I recently purchased from your online store and to request that the problem be resolved as soon as possible.

I ordered the phone, a Nova X5 in black, from your website on 3 March, and it was delivered four days later (order number 458921). Unfortunately, I discovered several problems as soon as I began using it.

Firstly, the battery drains extremely quickly; even with minimal use, it lasts less than five hours, whereas the product description promised a full day of use. Secondly, the touchscreen frequently freezes, especially when I try to make calls, and the phone has restarted on its own several times. Finally, there is a small scratch on the back of the device, which suggests it may not have been new when it was sent.

As the phone clearly does not meet the standard described on your website, I would like you to replace it with a new model. If a replacement is not available, I would expect a full refund, including the delivery costs. I would be grateful if you could also arrange for the faulty phone to be collected from my address.

I look forward to your prompt reply.

Yours faithfully, Emma Carter

Task Achievement

Covers all three points: when and where the phone was bought (with details), the specific problems, and the action requested (replacement or refund).

Coherence & Cohesion

Problems are organised with “Firstly / Secondly / Finally”, and each paragraph has one clear purpose.

Lexical Resource

Formal complaint language: drains, freezes, does not meet the standard, full refund, prompt reply.

Grammatical Range

Accurate formal structures: subjunctive-style request (“request that the problem be resolved”), conditionals and “I would be grateful if…”.

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For more IELTS Writing practices, you can visit IELTS Writing Task 1.