General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · complaint

Letter to a neighbour regarding persistent dog noise: IELTS semi-formal letter sample

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

The task

Your next-door neighbour owns a small dog that barks throughout the day and the night.

Write a letter to your neighbour requesting that something be done about the dog. Include. In your letter:

  • →your reason for writing
  • →what you would like to happen
  • →a nice, respectful style

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8172 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr Henderson,

I hope you are having a pleasant week. I am writing to you today regarding your dog, Buster, who has been barking quite incessantly over the past few days.

While I am certainly an animal lover and understand that dogs can occasionally be vocal, the noise has become rather disruptive. Unfortunately, the barking persists throughout the day and often continues late into the night, which has made it very difficult for me to get a restful sleep or focus on my work from home.

I would be very grateful if you could look into why Buster is so distressed or perhaps consider keeping him indoors during the late evening hours. I am sure there is a simple solution to help him settle down, and I would be happy to discuss this further if it might be helpful.

Thank you for your understanding and for taking the time to address this matter. I look forward to things returning to a peaceful state for both of us.

Best wishes,

Arthur Pringle

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 maintains a polite, firm, and consistent semi-formal tone while addressing all bullet points with specific, natural details. A common Band 6 mistake is adopting an aggressive, overly demanding, or informal tone that fails to acknowledge the neighborly relationship.

  • →Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
  • →Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
  • →State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

  • incessantly

    continuing for a long time without any pause

  • disruptive

    causing trouble and preventing something from continuing properly

  • persists

    continues to exist or happen despite difficulties

  • restful

    providing a feeling of peace and quiet relaxation

  • distressed

    upset, anxious, or suffering from emotional pain

  • address

    to deal with or give attention to something

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

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 maintains a polite, firm, and consistent semi-formal tone while addressing all bullet points with specific, natural details. A common Band 6 mistake is adopting an aggressive, overly demanding, or informal tone that fails to acknowledge the neighborly relationship.

Keep practising

More complaint letters

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