History: Complaint about a late delivery
You ordered a piece of furniture online, but it arrived late and was damaged.
Write a letter to the company. In your letter:
- describe what you ordered and when it was delivered
- explain what was wrong with it
- say what you would like the company to do
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,
Approach: Cover all three bullet points in separate paragraphs, keep a formal and polite tone, and finish with a clear request. 'Dear Sir or Madam' ends with 'Yours faithfully'.
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Show the model answer (176 words)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to complain about a bookcase I ordered from your website on 2 October (order number 48213), which arrived both late and damaged.
When I placed the order, your website stated that delivery would take three to five working days. However, the bookcase did not arrive until 21 October, more than two weeks later, despite two emails from me asking for an update, neither of which received a reply.
Unfortunately, when I unpacked the item, I discovered that one of the side panels was cracked along its full length and two of the shelves were badly scratched. The outer packaging was also torn, which suggests that it was handled carelessly during delivery. As a result, the bookcase cannot be assembled safely.
I would therefore like you to arrange for the damaged bookcase to be collected and replaced with a new one as soon as possible. Given the inconvenience caused by the delay, I would also appreciate a refund of the delivery charge.
I look forward to your prompt reply.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel Morris
An original model written for SpeakingIELTS to show structure and language. It is one good answer, not the only one, and it is not an official band-scored script.
Turn it into speaking practice
Explain your main argument aloud in two minutes, then answer related discussion questions in the Part 3 speaking practice. Speaking an idea first is a fast way to find what you want to write.
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