Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to lodge a complain about the television, I recently bought from your outlet located in lahore.

As you may know, T.V stopped working only two days after the purchase. I feel very disappointed at the quality of the T.V. It was not as it was promised to be.

When i found it not working, i checked all the wires and other essential settings. I did not understand what happened to it so I immediately contacted to your customer service. Unfortunately, i did not get any reply from them therefore i decided to write to bring this issue to your attention.

I would be really very greatful if you could solve this problem personally. I would be very thankful if you could replace this t.v with new one or refund it completely. Thanks for your time and consideration.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours faithfully,

Sabiha Waheed

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response effectively covers the purpose of the letter, which is to complain about a faulty television and request a resolution (replacement or refund). The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and all key information is presented, including where it was purchased, when it broke, and the lack of response from customer service. Although the development is somewhat straightforward, it satisfies the requirements of a General Training Task 1 letter. The student adopts a clear, consistent purpose throughout, fulfilling the prompt's communicative goals adequately, which aligns well with a Band 6.0 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter is generally coherent and arranged in a logical sequence, moving from the purchase and the issue, to the troubleshooting steps taken, and finally to the requested solution. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different points, such as the problem description and the desired outcome. However, cohesion at the sentence level is occasionally mechanical, as seen in the transition 'When i found it not working'. Referencing is mostly clear, though the progression could be smoother. This level of organisation and management of cohesive devices corresponds to a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating the complaint using terms such as 'lodge a complain', 'customer service', and 'refund it completely'. However, there are notable lexical and spelling errors, such as spelling 'complain' instead of 'complaint', capitalisation issues like 'lahore' and 't.v', and awkward phrasing like 'really very greatful'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with some inaccuracy. While communication is never impeded, these repetitive minor errors place the response firmly in the Band 6.0 category for lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'I would be very thankful if you could replace this t.v with new one'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and punctuation oversights, including lowercase 'i', missing articles ('with a new one'), and an unnecessary comma in 'contacted to your customer service'. Despite these errors, the sentence structures remain comprehensible, and communication is not impeded. The control of grammar and punctuation represents a typical Band 5.5 to 6.0 profile, and given the positive marking approach, a Band 6.0 is awarded for achieving a functional mix of structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.