Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at a formal letter example Credit card.
A formal letter is written when you need to write to a company or organisation where you do not know the person to whom you are addressing. Sometimes these letters are addressed to a person of importance, who you do not know, in which case the person’s name and the title are used – ‘Dear Prime Minister May….’
A formal greeting: Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Sirs, Dear HR Manager. When signing off the letter, ‘Yours truly’, ‘Sincerely yours’ and ‘Yours faithfully’ would be used for semi-formal or formal letters.
If you would like more information on how to write a formal letter please click this button below:
You ordered a new credit card from the bank about 14 days ago and still have not received it. You are not happy about this. Write a letter to the bank. In your letter say:
Why you are writing to them.
Ask why you have waited so long for the new card
Ask the bank manager what he will do about this matter.
Take a look at the model answer: Formal Letter- Credit Card
Dear Sir,
I am writing to complain about the service that I have received from your bank. About 14 days ago I ordered a new credit card online and it has still not arrived. I have called the helpline and have not received any answer to where the credit card is at present. Please email or phone to inform me of when I can be expecting this new card and to explain why I have waited so long. The card would have been sent via recorded mail, therefore as a priority, it should have arrived within 2 days of your bank sending it. I would also like to know what actions you will be taking to ensure that this situation is rectified, counting on the fact that my new credit card may have been stolen for fraudulent purposes or lost in the mail system. I also want to know that you intend to have this card cancelled and a new one sent out to me as soon as possible. I have been a user of this bank since 1995 and this is the first time I have complained about any services. I await your response.
Yours sincerely, Ben Jones
This letter covers the three main points in the task. It has been clearly organised with each key point being written about in a separate paragraph.
Paragraph 1 – Explains why he is writing to the bank
Paragraph 2 – Details of why he has waited so long for the credit card
Paragraph 3 – States what he wants them to do
The tone of the letter is formal and therefore appropriate as it is being sent to a person you do not know from a business. The language used makes sure the letter is polite (Dear Sir or Madam……I am aware that……I await your response……Yours faithfully).
There is also evidence of a range of sentence structures, no grammatical or spelling errors.
Proven strategies for this IELTS Listening question type. Includes prediction techniques and common traps to avoid.
Originally published June 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at how to write a formal letter.
A formal letter is written when you need to write to a company or organisation where you do not know the person to whom you are addressing. Sometimes these letters are addressed to a person of importance, who you do not know, in which case the person’s name and the title are used – ‘Dear Prime Minister May….’
A formal greeting > Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Sirs, Dear HR Manager
When signing off the letter, ‘Yours truly’, ‘Sincerely yours’ and ‘Yours faithfully’ would be used for semi-formal or formal letters.
Here is an example of a formal letter structure >>
FORMAL QUESTION EXAMPLE >>
Write at least 150 words
You do not need to write any addresses
Begin your letter with ‘Dear…..”
TIP >> A formal letter would be written to someone that you don’t know. That is why when you start writing when you don’t know their name, you would write ‘Dear Sir/Madam….’
Model Answer >>
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you because I recently received a letter from you detailing the new overdraft charges that are going to be put into place next month.
As you will be aware I have a large overdraft currently exceeding £10,000 and the new charges will make it near impossible to pay off. I have had an account with your bank for over ten years and have never seen an increase in charges, such as those presented now.
I am aware that increased charges on large sums of money that have been borrowed are important in levying profits for your business. The increase that has been proposed of paying 5% on top of the regular amount of £350 in charges each month will become a large and difficult amount to repay.
I would, therefore, like you to write to me and explain why such a large increase has been planned. If you are unable to offer a response that is justifiable to both the bank and me, then I will have no choice but to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
I await your response.
Yours faithfully,
Mr John Bell.
(Word Count – 192 / Band Score 9)
This letter covers the three main points in the task – why he is writing to the bank, why the charges should not have been increased and what he wants them to do.
It has been clearly organised with each key point being written about in a separate paragraph.
Paragraph 1 – Explains why he is writing to the bank
Paragraph 2 – Details of why the charges should not have been increased
Paragraph 3 – States what he wants them to do
The tone of the letter is formal and therefore appropriate as it is being sent to a person you do not know from a business. The language used makes sure the letter is polite (Dear Sir or Madam……I am aware that……I await your response……Yours faithfully).
There is also evidence of a range of sentence structures, no grammatical or spelling errors
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