Complaint Letter to an Airline
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 224 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
You recently took a flight and your luggage was lost by the airline. Despite contacting them, the issue has not been resolved. Write a letter to the airline's customer service department. In your letter: - Give details about your flight and the lost luggage - Explain how this has affected you - State what you would like the airline to do Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,
How to approach it
- 01Include specific details: flight number, dates, luggage description, reference numbers
- 02Maintain a formal but firm tone — avoid emotional or aggressive language
- 03Clearly explain the impact the situation has had on you
- 04State your desired resolution as specific, numbered actions
- 05Close by setting a deadline for their response
Model answer
224 words in 7 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction regarding the loss of my suitcase during a recent journey with your airline, and to request urgent action on this matter.
On 14 February, I travelled on flight AV-472 from London Heathrow to Rome Fiumicino. Upon arrival, my checked luggage — a large navy blue Samsonite suitcase, reference tag AV-8837291 — did not appear on the baggage carousel. I immediately reported this at your lost luggage desk and was given a reference number, but was told my case would be delivered within 48 hours. It has now been over two weeks, and despite three follow-up calls and two emails, I have received no substantive update.
This situation has caused me considerable inconvenience. The suitcase contained professional clothing needed for a series of business meetings, personal medication, and gifts of sentimental value. I was forced to purchase replacement items at significant personal expense, totalling approximately three hundred and fifty euros.
I would like the airline to take the following steps: firstly, locate and return my luggage without further delay; secondly, provide full reimbursement for the replacement items I was forced to buy, for which I have retained all receipts; and thirdly, offer appropriate compensation for the distress and inconvenience caused.
I look forward to receiving a response within seven working days.
Yours faithfully, Natalie Pearson
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 31 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
the same as the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 50 at the longest
2 more than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 20.4 words and vary by 12.3 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 50. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 1 of the 11 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
4 in total, spread across 2 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
despite
secondly, firstly, thirdly
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 82 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 72 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 5 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Address all three bullet points with sufficient detail
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear logical progression from problem to impact to resolution
Lexical Resource
Formal register with complaint-specific vocabulary
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Accurate and varied sentence structures appropriate for formal writing
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