Formal Letter Disputing a Parking Fine
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 201 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 have recently received a parking fine that you believe was issued unfairly. Write a letter to the city parking authority. In your letter: - give the details of the fine and where the vehicle was parked - explain why you believe the fine should not have been issued - say what action you would like the authority to take 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 close with 'Yours faithfully' — formal register throughout
- 02Cover all three bullet points clearly, ideally one per paragraph
- 03Give specific evidence: dates, times, reference numbers, locations
- 04Stay polite and factual — anger weakens a complaint letter
- 05Request a concrete action and a deadline at the end
- 06Avoid contractions ('I am', not 'I'm') and informal phrases
Model answer
201 words in 6 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 dispute a parking fine I received on 8 May 2026 (Penalty Charge Notice number PCN-7421-MK), and to request that it be cancelled.
The vehicle in question, a silver Toyota Yaris with registration FK22 ORX, was parked on Charlton Road outside number 48 between 09:15 and 10:40 on the morning the notice was issued. The signage at that location clearly states that parking is permitted free of charge for up to two hours between 08:00 and 18:00, Monday to Saturday.
I believe the fine has been issued in error for two reasons. Firstly, my parking duration was well within the two-hour limit, as supported by the timestamped receipt from the cafe opposite, which I have enclosed. Secondly, the warden's note refers to "double yellow lines", but no such markings exist at that section of the road, as photographs taken on the day clearly demonstrate.
I would be grateful if you could review the case and formally cancel the penalty. I have attached the supporting documents and would appreciate written confirmation within fourteen days. Please contact me on 07853 442 109 if any further information is needed.
Yours faithfully, Daniel Whitaker
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.
23 fewer than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 33 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 20.1 words and vary by 9.2 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. 6 of the 10 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
2 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.
secondly, firstly
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 85 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 73 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 bullet points with relevant detail
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear paragraphing with logical flow
Lexical Resource
Formal vocabulary appropriate to an official complaint
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Accurate formal structures with variety
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