IELTS General Task 1: Letter of Complaint About a Local Park

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Writing Prompt

The public park near your home has been poorly maintained recently, and you feel that the local council should take action.

Write a letter to the local council. In your letter:

explain how often you and your family use the park
describe the problems you have noticed there
suggest what the council should do to improve it

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,

Show Band 8–9 model answer

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my concern about the deteriorating condition of the public park on Greenfield Road, which my family and I visit several times a week.

We rely on this park as our main outdoor space. My children play there most afternoons after school, and at weekends we often meet friends for picnics or use the walking path for exercise. However, over the past few months, the standard of maintenance has declined noticeably.

Firstly, a number of benches are broken, with exposed nails that could easily injure children. Secondly, the grass is rarely cut now, making it difficult to sit on and encouraging litter to accumulate. The children’s play area is especially worrying: two swings are missing, the rubber safety flooring is torn, and the metal slide is rusting. In addition, several lights along the main path no longer work, which makes the park feel unsafe in the early evening.

I would be grateful if the council could organise urgent repairs to the play equipment and benches, restore the lighting, and reinstate a regular cleaning and grass-cutting schedule. A clearly displayed contact number for reporting hazards would also help residents support ongoing maintenance.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,
James Carter

Why this response works

This letter would score highly across all criteria. Task achievement is strong because all three bullet points are fully addressed with clear, relevant detail and a specific request for action. Coherence and cohesion are evident in the logical paragraphing (use, problems, suggestions) and smooth use of cohesive devices such as “firstly,” “however,” and “in addition.” Lexical resource is demonstrated through varied, precise vocabulary (e.g. “deteriorating condition,” “accumulate,” “restore the lighting,” “reinstate a regular…schedule”). Grammatical range and accuracy are strong, with a mix of complex and simple sentences, accurate tense control, and virtually error-free structures. The formal tone is appropriately maintained throughout.