IELTS HUB
Formal Complaint Letter #136
GT Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You borrowed a book from a public library and the book is now damaged.

Write a letter to the librarian to explain the situation. In your letter, mention:

  • details about the book
  • how it was damaged
  • what you want to do about it

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses at the top of your letter.

Begin your letter as follows: Dear ……………,

One box per bullet, then compare with Band 9.
168 words · 3 body paragraphs
Opening

I am writing to inform you about a situation regarding a book I borrowed from the public library.

Bullet 1

details about the book

The book in question is 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a classic piece of literature that I borrowed last month. It is a paperback edition with 250 pages, and it is one of my favorite novels.

Bullet 2

how it was damaged

Unfortunately, the book got damaged when my water bottle leaked in my bag, causing water damage to the pages. I understand the importance of taking care of borrowed items, and I am truly sorry for the damage caused to the book.

Bullet 3

what you want to do about it

I would like to take full responsibility for the damage and am willing to either replace the book with a new copy or pay for the cost of repairing it. Please let me know the best course of action to rectify this situation, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Closing

I appreciate your understanding and cooperation in resolving this matter. Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Go further with the books

General Task 1

Master IELTS Letters

Guide + Templates + Useful Lines

₹299$9.99CAD 13.99AUD 14.99£7.99NZD 16.99€8.99AED 39SGD 12.99

Free preview

Writing Task 2

100 Essential IELTS Essays

Band 9 Sample Answers for the Real Exam

₹199$6.99CAD 8.99AUD 9.99£4.99NZD 10.99€5.99AED 24SGD 8.99

Free preview

Kit · 3 books + 1 marked essay

Writing 7 Kit

Writing 7.0 is CLB 9 for Canada PR. The strategy to break the 6.5 ceiling, the mistakes that cost marks, the vocabulary that lifts Lexical Resource, then one essay marked to check you are there.

₹799$26.99CAD 37.99AUD 39.99£20.99NZD 45.99€23.99AED 99SGD 34.99 ₹1,296$43.96CAD 60.96AUD 65.96£33.96NZD 73.96€38.96AED 166SGD 56.96

Next question: You feel the evening programs on a local television station are uninteresting.