GT-T1-207 General Training · Task 1 · advanced · 20 min · 150+ words Formal Letter Government

Letter to a Council About a Parking Fine

The question

You received a parking fine for leaving your car in a bay that you believe was not clearly marked. The sign was hidden behind a tree, and you have photographs from that day that appear to show this. Write a letter to the council's parking department. In your letter: • explain why you believe the fine was issued unfairly • describe the evidence you have and when it was taken • ask the council to review the case and cancel the fine Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,

Instructions

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. • Use a formal tone: no contractions, and a formal sign-off such as 'Yours faithfully'. • Cover all the points in the bullets, in a clear and logical order. • Organise your letter into short paragraphs with a clear opening and closing. • Keep the tone polite and controlled, even when you are unhappy.

How to approach this formal letter question

A formal letter goes to someone you do not know, such as a manager or a council. Use a polite, impersonal tone and cover every bullet point.

Open with "Dear Sir or Madam," and state your purpose in the first sentence.
Give one paragraph per bullet point with specific details.
Avoid contractions and slang; use polite requests (I would be grateful if...).
Close with "Yours faithfully," and your name.

How to plan this answer

Structure

Opening: 'Dear Sir or Madam', then a line giving the penalty notice reference number and saying you wish to challenge the fine.
Paragraph 2: describe the bay and the parking sign, explaining that the sign was partly hidden behind a tree.
Paragraph 3: describe the photographs you took, including the date and the time they were taken.
Paragraph 4: ask the council to review the case and cancel the fine, and state when you expect a reply.
Closing: thank them for their consideration and sign off 'Yours faithfully'.

Points to cover

Reference: the penalty charge notice number, the date it was issued, and your vehicle registration.
Sign: a tree branch partly covered the parking sign, and the bay markings were faded in places.
Evidence: photographs taken on the same day, showing the tree covering the sign, with the timestamp visible.
Supporting evidence: a note from a neighbour who has also noticed that the sign is often hidden.
Request: a review of the case, cancellation of the fine, and written confirmation of the outcome.

Useful vocabulary

I am writing to appeal against: I am writing to appeal against a penalty charge notice issued on 5 April.
issued unfairly: I believe the fine was issued unfairly for the reasons set out below.
obscured by: The parking sign was obscured by a tree branch.
clearly marked: The bay was not clearly marked, and the lines had faded.
I have enclosed photographs: I have enclosed photographs, which were taken on the day at 10.15 a.m.
I would be grateful if you would review the case: I would be grateful if you would review the case in light of this evidence.
in light of this evidence: In light of this evidence, I request that the notice be cancelled.
parking bay: I parked in the bay at the end of the street, which was not clearly signed.
Please confirm in writing: Please confirm in writing whether the penalty has been withdrawn.

Common mistakes

Leaving out the penalty notice number, which delays the processing of the appeal.
Describing the fine without saying what the sign looked like or where the tree was.
Using phrases such as 'I think' instead of stating the evidence directly and clearly.
Mentioning photographs without saying when they were taken or what they show.
Using angry or accusatory language about council staff rather than setting out the facts.

Examiner tip: Describe the sign, the tree and the photographs in that order, using dates and times, so the reviewer can check your case against the evidence.

Model answers by band score

Written for this question to show what changes from one band to the next. Try the task yourself first, then compare.

Band 6 answer

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to you about the parking fine which I receive on last Saturday. I think that the fine is not fair, so I want to explain why. I left my car in a bay in Mill Street, but I did not see any sign that say I can not park there. The sign was behind a big tree and nobody could see it. Because of this, I think the bay was not marked clearly and I did not do anything wrong. I have some photographs which I took on the same day, just after I found the fine on my car. In the photographs you can see the tree and how it cover the sign. I took the photographs at about four o'clock in the afternoon. I can send them to you if you want. I would be very grateful if you could review my case and cancel the fine. I am a person who always follow the rules, and I do not want to pay for something that was not my mistake. Please contact me when you have made a decision. Yours faithfully, Chris Taylor

Why this is band 6

All three bullets are covered in a logical order with a correct formal opening and 'Yours faithfully', so the task is fulfilled.
Register is mostly formal and polite, but vocabulary is basic and repetitive ('sign', 'photographs', 'fine' used again and again).
Grammar errors are noticeable ('which I receive on last Saturday', 'sign that say', 'it cover') though meaning stays clear.
Band 7 would explain the unfairness with more specific detail, use a wider range of formal expressions and make fewer errors.

Band 7 answer

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to complain about a parking fine that I received on Saturday 14 June, which I believe was issued unfairly. On that day I left my car in a bay on Mill Street. However, the sign indicating the parking restrictions was almost completely hidden behind the branches of a large tree, so it was impossible for any driver to see it. For this reason, I believe that the bay was not clearly marked and that I could not have known the rules. I have taken a number of photographs which clearly show the obstructed sign. I took them at around 4 pm on the same day, shortly after I discovered the penalty notice on my windscreen, and I would be happy to send copies to you if necessary. In view of this evidence, I would be grateful if you would review my case and cancel the fine. I would also suggest that the council trim the tree so that other drivers are not penalised in the same way. I look forward to your reply. Yours faithfully, Chris Taylor

Why this is band 7

Clear, polite and formal throughout, with an appropriate purpose statement and all three bullets addressed, including when the photographs were taken.
Good range of formal phrases ('issued unfairly', 'In view of this evidence', 'penalised') and well-organised short paragraphs.
The extra suggestion about trimming the tree is relevant and shows initiative, and errors are rare.
Band 8 would be more precise and economical in its reasoning (for instance, referring to the exact position of the sign and the signage rules) and show more natural, flexible phrasing.

Band 8 answer

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to appeal against a parking fine, issued on Saturday 14 June, which I believe was unjustified. At around 3.30 pm that day I parked on Mill Street in what appeared to be an ordinary bay. The only sign stating the restrictions, however, was obscured by the branches of an overgrown tree and could not be read from the road. I therefore had no reasonable way of knowing that parking was not permitted there, and I feel that a penalty is inappropriate where the markings are not clearly visible. To support my appeal, I enclose four photographs that I took at approximately 4 pm on the same afternoon, shortly after I noticed the penalty notice. They show the sign completely hidden from the point where I stopped, and they are date-stamped. I would be grateful if you would review the circumstances and cancel the fine. If you are willing, I would also ask that the council arrange for the tree to be cut back to prevent other drivers from being caught out. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, Chris Taylor

Why this is band 8

Tone is controlled and persuasive: the writer explains the unfairness through reasoning ('no reasonable way of knowing') rather than complaint.
The evidence paragraph is specific (number of photographs, approximate time, date-stamped), which meets the second bullet fully.
Vocabulary is precise and formal ('unjustified', 'obscured', 'caught out'), cohesion is natural and errors are rare.
Band 9 would be even more polished and efficient, without any phrase that sounds slightly stock or over-explained.

Band 9 answer

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to contest a penalty charge notice issued to my vehicle on Saturday 14 June, which I believe was imposed unfairly. At approximately 3.30 pm I parked in a bay on Mill Street. The only sign stating the restrictions was, however, concealed by the branches of a mature tree and was unreadable from the carriageway. Since a driver cannot be expected to comply with a restriction that is not visible, I do not consider that the bay was adequately marked. I have four date-stamped photographs, taken from the same spot at around 4 pm that afternoon, shortly after I discovered the notice on my windscreen. They show the sign entirely hidden by foliage from the point at which I stopped, and I would be happy to forward them, or to meet an officer at the location, should this be of use. In view of this, I should be grateful if you would review the case and cancel the fine. I would also urge the council to have the tree cut back so that other motorists are not caught out in the same way. I look forward to your response. Yours faithfully, Chris Taylor

Why this is band 9

A precise, authoritative formal register ('contest a penalty charge notice', 'comply with', 'carriageway') is sustained without sounding stilted.
Reasoning is tight: one clear principle (a restriction must be visible to be enforced) supports the argument, and the evidence is specific and verifiable.
All three bullets are fully developed and the closing request is polite, firm and practical.
Grammar is error-free and the letter flows naturally from one paragraph to the next.

Band levels are our estimate against the public IELTS criteria; they are not official scores.

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