- Follow a 3 step plan to help you effectively write an IELTS letter.
- Learn vocabulary and phrases you can use in a letter of complaint.
- Write your own letter of complaint.
Sample Task 1
You recently stayed in a hotel in a large city. The weather was very unusual and the heating/cooling system in the hotel was inadequate.
Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter:
- Give details of what went wrong
- Explain what you had to do to overcome the problem at the time
- Say what action you would like the manager to take
You should write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write your own address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear _________________
Step 1 | Analyse the Question
Step 2 | Think of Details
Do you know the name of the manager?
2. Where the hotel was.
What city was it in?
3. What the exact problem was.
Was the room too hot or cold?
4. What you did to improve your situation and overcome the problem.
Did you solve the problem or move to another hotel?
5. What you want the manager to do.
Do you want a refund or something else?
Step 3 | Write the letter
Linking words and phrases have been deleted from a letter. Complete the letter below with the words and phrases from the box.
Dear Sir/Madam | |
I am writing to about the temperature of the room in the King’s Hotel from the 14th-20th of August this year. I booked and paid for the room in your famous hotel on the internet and was expecting excellent quality and service. , the temperature in London was unusually high and the room, located close to the kitchens, was uncomfortably hot. It was so hot that I could not sleep and the heat made me quite dehydrated and sick. I was unable to enjoy my stay and had to change hotel. | |
, I complained to the reception staff but they were unhelpful. I asked to be changed to another room but I was not allowed to change, there were obviously rooms available. , I asked to speak to you directly, but the staff made excuses about why I couldn’t speak with a manager. After 2 nights at the King’s Hotel, I felt fed up and quite unhealthy. make the most of my holiday to London, I moved across town to the Queen’s hotel, where I was given a room with AC and the staff were very pleasant and helpful. | |
I that you reprimand your reception staff and give them further training for how to deal with this type of problem. I would also be for a full refund for the nights of the 16th-20th August in which I had to stay at a different hotel. | |
I hearing back from you and receiving my refund. | |
Yours , | |
Mr. B. Phillipson | |
Comprehension Task
1. | Do you know the name of the manager? |
2. | What city was the hotel in? |
3. | Was the room too hot or cold? |
4. | Did you solve the problem or move to another hotel? |
5. | Does the writer want a refund or something else? |
Vocabulary Task
Match the Phrase with the Function
Writing Task
You have been living in a rental apartment for the past year. Recently a new neighbour moved in and has been making a lot of noise, which disturbs you. You have not yet met the neighbor.
Write a letter to the new neighbour. In your letter:
- explain the situation
- describe why it bothers you
- suggest a solution
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear __________