Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-26

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to formally express my concern regarding the substandard service I received during my recent stay at your establishment, The Pearl Hotel, from October 21st to October 26th.

Regarding the first point, I was registered in Room 402 under the confirmation number GR-2456. While the room itself was clean, the primary issue began on my second night when the heating system completely failed. For instance, despite of the freezing outdoor temperatures, my room dropped below 15 degrees Celsius, making it impossible to sleep comfortably.

As for the service problems, I would like to point out that when I contacted the front desk to report the failure, the night porter was dismissive and unhelpful. Furthermore, no technician was sent to resolve this issue, nor was I offered an alternative room, leaving me to spend the night in cold.

Finally, concerning a resolution to this matter, I propose that you issue a full refund for that specific night's stay to compensate for the extreme discomfort. I also expect an assurance that your night stadd will receive proper customer service training, and I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours sincerely,

Sharoz

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task by clearly stating the purpose of the letter, detailing the specific issues experienced during the stay at The Pearl Hotel, and proposing a reasonable resolution. The tone is appropriately formal and consistent throughout the text. The writer introduces relevant details, such as the booking dates, room number, confirmation number, and specific descriptions of the heating failure and unhelpful staff member. These ideas are well-extended and supported without any irrelevant digressions. The purpose is fully achieved from the perspective of a formal complaint letter, successfully meeting all requirements of a General Training Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The letter exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is grouped logically into paragraphs, starting with the context of the stay, followed by room and service issues, and concluding with a proposed resolution. Cohesive devices are used effectively and naturally, such as 'Regarding the first point', 'Furthermore', and 'Finally'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating distinct thoughts into clear sections. Referencing is handled well, ensuring the reader easily follows the sequence of events and arguments presented.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suitable for a formal complaint letter. Phrases such as 'formally express my concern', 'substandard service', and 'extreme discomfort' indicate a good control of formal register and collocations. There are only very minor slip-ups, such as the typographical error 'stadd' instead of 'staff' in the final paragraph. Less common lexical items are used with general precision and awareness of style, enabling the message to be communicated clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response employs a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or participial clauses like 'making it impossible to sleep comfortably'. The majority of sentences are error-free, though there is one minor prepositional error with 'despite of' instead of 'despite' or 'in spite of'. Punctuation and grammatical control are generally strong, and errors are rare and non-systematic, meaning they do not impede communication at all. The writer maintains a high level of grammatical accuracy suited to a Band 8 level.

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