IELTS formal letter: format, useful phrases and a model complaint

When should your letter be formal?

The prompt usually doesn't say "formal". You decide from the person you write to. The official format page puts it this way: "The style of writing that you use depends on who you are asked to write to and how well you are supposed to know them." Purpose matters too: a complaint to a company you have never dealt with calls for more distance than a request to your own manager.

How to open and close a formal letter

Official prompts can tell you how to begin. Both Task 1 samples in the IELTS General Training sample tasks end with "Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam," and "You do NOT need to write any addresses." Copy the given opening exactly, then choose the closing that matches it.

The pairings below are standard British conventions, not rules printed by IELTS. Most preparation materials use them, so they are the safe choice.

The structure: start with one paragraph per bullet

The official sample guide describes Task 1 as "a writing task with a largely predictable output": the prompt sets "the context and purpose of the letter and the functions" you must cover (IELTS sample tasks). So the plan is almost ready before you start. One paragraph per bullet is a useful starting point, not an IELTS rule:

1. Opening line from the prompt, for example Dear Sir or Madam,
2. Purpose first. Your first sentence says why you write: I am writing to complain about... This paragraph often covers bullet 1.
3. Body paragraphs. Usually one per bullet: the point, then a detail or a reason. Split a bullet across two paragraphs when it holds two separate ideas, as the apology practice below does with apologise and explain why.
4. Closing line, such as I look forward to your reply.
5. Sign-off and full name: Yours faithfully, then Aliya Nurlanova.

Each sentence is read against the four criteria at once. The first line of the model below, I am writing to complain about a desk that I ordered from your website on 3 May (order number 45817), shows all four:

• Task Achievement: it states the purpose and starts bullet 1 with checkable details.
• Coherence and Cohesion: the purpose comes first, so every later paragraph has a frame.
• Lexical Resource: complain about, order number: plain, formal and precise.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a relative clause (a desk that I ordered) packs the detail into one sentence.

Aim for about 160 to 190 words as a guide: IELTS doesn't penalise more than 150, but a longer letter takes time from Task 2, which "contributes twice as much". For a minute-by-minute split of the whole hour, see Writing time management.

Model formal letter: a complaint

A practice prompt written by the GoPrep team:

You ordered a desk from an online furniture company. When it was delivered, you found some problems with it.

Write a letter to the company's customer service manager. In your letter:

- give details of your order

- describe the problems and how they have affected you

- say what you would like the company to do

Write at least 150 words. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,

Model answer (180 words)

Written by the GoPrep team as a practice example. It is not an officially marked script, so we don't give it a band.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about a desk that I ordered from your website on 3 May (order number 45817). It was the Oslo writing desk in white oak, and I paid an extra charge for next-day delivery because I needed it urgently.

When the desk was delivered on 4 May, I discovered that one of the legs had split near the base and that the surface was deeply scratched in several places. Furthermore, the fittings needed for assembly were missing from the box, so the desk cannot be used at all. As I work from home, I had arranged the delivery so that I could set up my office before an important project began. Instead, I have spent the past week working at my kitchen table.

I would therefore be grateful if you could deliver a replacement as soon as possible and collect the damaged desk at your expense. If no replacement is available, I would like a full refund, including the delivery charge.

I look forward to your prompt reply.

Yours faithfully,

Aliya Nurlanova

Formal phrases for each purpose

Formal phrases keep a polite distance: full forms, would and could. The casual versions suit a friend, not a company.

One paragraph, three versions: make the detail more precise

What the Task 1 band descriptors ask of a General Training letter: at band 6, "The purpose is generally clear. There may be minor inconsistencies in tone." At band 7, "It presents a clear purpose. The tone is consistent and appropriate to the task." At band 8, "All bullet points are clearly presented, and appropriately illustrated or extended."

Below, the same paragraph from the model letter (bullet 2) is written three ways. They are practice examples, and we don't give them bands: the examiner scores the whole letter on four criteria, and the descriptors state: "A script must fully fit the positive features of the descriptor at a particular level."

Basic

When the desk arrived, there were some problems with it. One leg was broken and there were scratches on the top. Also, there weren't any screws in the box, so I can't use it. This is very bad for me because I need a desk for my work.

Developed

When the desk was delivered on 4 May, I found that one of the legs was cracked and the top was badly scratched. In addition, the screws needed to assemble it were missing. As I work from home, this has caused me considerable inconvenience, since I have had nowhere suitable to work.

Precise (the model letter's paragraph)

When the desk was delivered on 4 May, I discovered that one of the legs had split near the base and that the surface was deeply scratched in several places. Furthermore, the fittings needed for assembly were missing from the box, so the desk cannot be used at all. As I work from home, I had arranged the delivery so that I could set up my office before an important project began. Instead, I have spent the past week working at my kitchen table.

Common traps in formal letters

1. Contractions and chatty words: I'm, don't, stuff, ASAP. The IDP letter guide lists contractions as a feature of informal letters.
2. Anger instead of firmness. A complaint can be strong and still polite. In one official sample, the examiner noted: "The tone, though assertive, is consistently polite".
3. Inventing a long story. Invent only details that serve a bullet; the band 6 descriptor mentions details that "may be missing (or excessive)".
4. A sign-off that breaks the pattern. Dear Sir or Madam ... Yours sincerely goes against the usual convention. Cheers or Take care goes against the tone of the whole letter.

Practice: write an apology letter

Another practice prompt written by the GoPrep team:

You have booked a room at a community centre for a training event in November, but now you have to cancel.

Write a letter to the manager of the community centre. In your letter:

- apologise and explain why you need to cancel

- say what you would like to happen to the deposit you paid

- ask about booking the room for a different date

Write at least 150 words. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,

Check yourself: four quick questions