General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · complaint

Formal complaint to building manager regarding noise: IELTS formal letter sample

An IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 formal letter with a Band 8 sample answer, why it scores well and the phrases worth borrowing for your own letter writing.
  • 186 words
  • Formal letters
  • Complaint
  • 20 minutes
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The task

You live in an apartment building and for the past few weeks, your new neighbors have been making a lot of noise late at night, preventing you from sleeping.

Write a letter to the relevant person. In your letter:

  • →describe the type of noise and when it happens
  • →explain how it is affecting your daily life and work
  • →state what action you expect the building manager to take

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ___________,

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8186 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to formally report a persistent disturbance caused by the residents in apartment 4B, which has become intolerable over the past three weeks.

The noise primarily consists of loud music and heavy furniture being moved across the floorboards. These disturbances occur consistently between midnight and 3:00 am. Even with earplugs, the vibrations through the walls are significant enough to wake me from a deep sleep.

This lack of rest is severely impacting my daily life and professional performance. As I work in a high-pressure role as a data analyst, I require full concentration during the day. Currently, I am suffering from chronic fatigue, which has led to several errors in my recent reports and left me unable to function effectively during morning meetings.

I request that you address this matter with the tenants of 4B immediately to ensure they adhere to our building’s quiet hours policy. Should the noise continue, I trust you will take the necessary formal steps to enforce the lease agreement regarding nuisance behavior.

I look forward to your prompt resolution of this issue.

Yours faithfully,

Arthur Pendelton

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a consistent, professional tone and sophisticated vocabulary. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to link the noise specifically to the impact on work, often resulting in a vague, repetitive explanation.

  • →Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
  • →If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
  • →No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

  • persistent

    continuing for a long time without stopping

  • intolerable

    too bad or unpleasant to be endured

  • vibrations

    continuous shaking movements that can be felt

  • chronic fatigue

    long-term tiredness that does not go away

  • nuisance behavior

    actions that cause annoyance or disturb others

  • adhere

    to follow or obey a rule or agreement

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

How many words should an IELTS General Training letter be?+

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

What does the examiner look for?+

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a consistent, professional tone and sophisticated vocabulary. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to link the noise specifically to the impact on work, often resulting in a vague, repetitive explanation.

Keep practising

More complaint letters

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