Writing · Task 1 · General Training

IELTS Writing Task 1 band 8 sample: Utility billing complaint

A 176-word band 8 model answer. Read the question first and plan your own response before you look at the answer.

Task
Writing Task 1
Module
General Training
Type
Letter
Length
176 words
Level
Band 8 model answer
The question

You recently received an electricity bill that is much higher than usual and you believe there has been an error.

Write a letter to the customer service manager of the electricity company. In your letter:
- explain when you received the bill and why you think it is incorrect
- describe what you have already checked or tried on your end
- say what you would like the company to do about it

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to include your own address.

Band 8 model answer · 176 words

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to dispute the electricity bill I received on 3 March, which covers the period from 1 December to 28 February. The amount due is £412.60, far above my usual payment, and I am convinced it contains an error.

Our routine has not changed over the past three months, and we have bought no new appliances. Before contacting you, I checked the meter reading against the bill. The estimated reading appears to have been used for the entire quarter, whereas the actual reading I photographed on 1 March is considerably lower. I have also confirmed that the smart meter display is working correctly, so I do not believe the fault lies with my equipment.

I would therefore be grateful if an engineer could read the meter in person and recalculate the bill on actual usage. Pending the review, I ask that no direct debit be taken. I can be reached by telephone at any time, and I am happy to send the photograph of the meter.

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Okafor

Why this scores band 8

The letter covers each bullet point in order, and precise facts such as the billing dates, the amount and the meter readings make the complaint credible. The register is formal and controlled, with hedged claims like 'I do not believe the fault lies with my equipment' and a correct 'Yours faithfully' sign-off. Vocabulary such as 'dispute', 'estimated reading' and 'recalculate the bill on actual usage' is precise without being showy.

See every criterion in IELTS Writing band descriptors explained.

Same test, other task: Task 2 band 8 sample.

More band 8 Task 1 samples

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Model answers on this site are original, written to the band 8 descriptors by IELTS A. They are not official IELTS material and do not guarantee a score. IELTS A is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council, IDP or Cambridge.