Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You work at home and have a problem with a piece of equipment that you use for your job.

Write a letter to the shop or company which supplied the equipment. In your letter

• describe the problem with the equipment
• explain how this problem is affecting your work
• say what you want the shop or company to do

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am writing to lodge a complaint on the HP laptop I got from your store last month. When I wanted to get the gadget, I told the store attendant that I needed a system that has a strong battery capacity because I would be using it for work at least 8 hours in a day. After a month of constantly using the laptop, I discovered that the battery only lasts for about 4-5 hours after it is fully charged.

This situation has had a negative impact on my ability to complete my daily tasks because most of my duties are to be completed online using the device. With this battery issue, I find it very difficult to stay online for the stipulated work hours.

I would like the company to give me a replacement because the device is not functioning optimally and the waranty on the laptop covers a year duration.

Kindly look into my request and I look forward to a favourable response.

Yours faithfully,

Mariam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three required points clearly: you identify the laptop and its battery problem, explain that it prevents you from staying online for your work hours, and request a replacement under the warranty. The details about expecting eight hours of use and getting only four to five hours make the complaint specific and persuasive. Your purpose and desired outcome remain clear throughout, and the formal opening and closing suit the situation. To strengthen the response further, develop the practical consequences a little more—for example, whether you have missed deadlines or need to interrupt work to recharge—and specify how you would like the company to arrange the replacement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The information is arranged in a clear, logical sequence: the purchase and fault are introduced first, the effect on your work follows, and the requested remedy comes before the closing. Paragraphing separates these functions effectively, while links such as “After a month” and “With this battery issue” help the reader follow the explanation. The letter is easy to understand and its formal structure is appropriate. To make the progression even more polished, connect the request more explicitly to the work impact and warranty, and avoid relying on “this situation” and “this battery issue” as similar references in consecutive paragraphs. A more specific transition could make the relationship between the problem and remedy especially clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal complaint, including “lodge a complaint,” “negative impact,” “stipulated work hours,” and “replacement.” These choices communicate the issue clearly, and the reader can understand your request without difficulty. Some expressions, however, are not fully natural or precise in this context: “complaint on” would more idiomatically be “complaint about,” “strong battery capacity” is less natural than “long battery life,” and “covers a year duration” is awkward. There is also a spelling error in “waranty.” Greater accuracy with collocations and spelling, alongside a few more precise terms for the work disruption, would make your vocabulary more flexible and polished.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The letter includes a useful mix of sentence forms, including the complex explanation beginning “When I wanted to get the gadget” and the cause-and-effect sentence beginning “because most of my duties…”. Several sentences are accurate and easy to follow, and punctuation generally supports the meaning. A few grammatical choices remain awkward: “a system that has a strong battery capacity” shifts into the present tense after the past reporting verb “told,” and “I would be using it for work at least 8 hours in a day” would be clearer with a more accurate time expression and sentence structure. The final request is also expressed in a long sentence that could be divided for clarity. More consistent tense control and precise sentence construction would improve accuracy.

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