Formal Letter · Complaint About a Delayed Online Order
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 203 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 ordered an item from an online retailer several weeks ago, but it has not been delivered. When you contacted the customer service team, you were not given a clear explanation. Write a letter to the retailer's customer service manager. In your letter: - Give details of the order you placed - Explain what went wrong and how you have been treated so far - Say what you would like the company to do about the situation 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
- 01Use 'Dear Sir or Madam' and sign off with 'Yours faithfully' because the recipient is unnamed
- 02Open with one short sentence stating your purpose for writing
- 03Be specific with the order number, dates, and amounts — generic complaints score lower
- 04Cover all three bullet points and devote roughly equal space to each
- 05Maintain a formal, firm but polite tone — avoid sarcasm or threats
- 06Close with a clear request and a forward-looking sentence
Model answer
203 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 complain about a delayed order placed on your website and to request a clear resolution.
On 14 April I purchased a noise-cancelling headset (order number HX-204788) from your store, paying an additional fee for express three-day delivery. The estimated arrival date was 17 April, but it is now 11 May and the parcel has still not reached me. I have already paid in full and my bank account was charged on the day of purchase.
Over the past three weeks I have contacted your customer service team four times — twice by online chat and twice by email. Each agent gave me a different explanation, ranging from a courier delay to a stock issue at the warehouse, and no one has provided a tracking update or a firm new delivery date. I find this lack of consistency deeply unprofessional, especially given that I paid extra for a guaranteed service.
I would now like a full refund of the order, including the express delivery fee, processed within the next seven days. I would also appreciate a written apology and an explanation of how this situation occurred.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully, David Okafor
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.
21 fewer than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 33 at the longest
1 fewer than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 18.5 words and vary by 7.5 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 33. 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
1 in total, spread across 1 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.
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Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 81 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 70 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 4 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 bullets fully with specific details and a clear request for action.
Coherence & Cohesion
Use a clear paragraph for each bullet with appropriate linking and a consistent formal layout.
Lexical Resource
Use precise formal vocabulary for complaints and customer service interactions.
Grammar
Demonstrate accurate use of past tenses for the chronology and modal verbs for requests.
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