IELTS General Writing Task 1 – You need to complain to your local council about poor road conditions in your area. | LangorAi.com
IELTS General Writing Task 1 – Formal You need to complain to your local council about poor road conditions in your area. | © LangorAi.com
IELTS General Writing Task 1 – Complaint About Poor Road Conditions

IELTS General Writing Task 1 – Complaint About Road Conditions

You need to complain to your local council about poor road conditions in your area.

Model Answer (Band 8–8.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to formally complain about the deteriorating condition of several roads in the Greenwood residential area, particularly Maple Street and the surrounding junctions.

Over the past six months, numerous potholes have appeared, the road surface has become uneven, and drainage is extremely poor after rainfall. These issues have already caused damage to several vehicles, and pedestrians are frequently forced to step into traffic to avoid flooded sections of pavement.

More importantly, the current situation presents a serious safety risk for children, cyclists, and elderly residents who rely on these roads daily. Despite repeated reports made through the council website, no visible action has been taken so far.

I respectfully request that the council arrange an urgent inspection and carry out the necessary repairs as soon as possible. A clear timeline for the maintenance work would also be greatly appreciated by the local community.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your prompt response and practical action.

Yours faithfully,
Daniel Harris

Analytical Review – Strengths, Weaknesses & Improvements

1. Strengths
  • Highly appropriate formal tone for addressing a public authority.
  • Clear description of physical problems and their consequences.
  • Strong collocations such as “deteriorating condition,” “serious safety risk,” “urgent inspection”.
  • Logical structure: problem → impact → request.
2. Weaknesses
  • The exact number of affected roads is not specified.
3. Recommended Improvements
  • Add a brief reference to how long residents have been affected.
  • Include one supporting statistic for stronger impact.
4. Stronger Synonyms & Useful Collocations
  • deteriorating → severely degraded
  • safety risk → significant hazard
  • carry out repairs → undertake essential maintenance
  • prompt response → swift official action
5. How to Reach a Higher Band
  • Add one conditional sentence related to future prevention.
  • Use an additional advanced reporting verb.
  • Maintain this clear balance between complaint and politeness.