Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-08

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 5.5)

Dear sir,

I am working as senior Manager in a IT lab forum.I have purchased a latest model apple labtop for my work purpose.what i liked most about this labtop is its smooth and attractive look and lastest design along this i also like your company reputation with best delivery system.

When i purchased this latest model of pro 17 apple smart laptop.i was so disappointed about the fact that its battery time is so low and keyboard of it is not doing proper work due to malfunction of this model .I have confronted so much hurdles and difficulties during my weehour work.

l want to return this laptop to you.and kindly fix the problem and send me new one as i have spend so much money already.i also want to build a trust after exchange of this item .so in future it will be posssible for me to buy new acceries and equipment related to my work in IT industry.

In addition to this ,its illegial act in our country to buy such type of broken item from a reputed manufacturer company.so i expect that your appraoch will be pragmatic and you will send me new item on urgency badis

your faithfully

Farah atif

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three main points: you identify low battery life and a malfunctioning keyboard, explain that these cause difficulties during work, and request a replacement. The reader can understand the basic purpose of the letter. However, the problem’s effects are only briefly described as “hurdles and difficulties,” without explaining how work is delayed or disrupted. Your requested remedy is also unclear: you ask to “return” the laptop, “fix the problem,” and “send me new one,” leaving the company unsure whether you want a repair or replacement. Develop the impact and state one clear preferred solution. The opening praise and claim that selling a broken item is illegal do not help explain the complaint and could be replaced with relevant details, such as purchase date or order information.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter follows a broadly sensible order: it introduces the purchase, describes the faults, explains their effect, and makes a request. Paragraph breaks also help separate these stages. However, progression is weakened by long, crowded paragraphs and abrupt shifts, particularly from the complaint to “build a trust” and then to the legal claim. Linking phrases such as “When I purchased” and “In addition to this” are used, but the latter introduces a point that does not clearly support the main request. Some references, including “it” and “this item,” are not fully clear. Use shorter paragraphs and connect each one directly to the complaint, its work impact, or the action you expect.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some vocabulary relevant to a formal complaint, including “malfunction,” “reputed manufacturer,” and “exchange,” and the main equipment problems are identifiable. However, word choice and spelling errors are frequent enough to make parts of the letter less clear or less natural. Examples include “labtop,” “weehour work,” “acceries,” and “urgency badis”; phrases such as “smooth and attractive look” and “confronted so much hurdles” are also awkward in this context. The repeated use of “latest model” and “work” limits variety. Aim for precise complaint vocabulary and check spelling carefully. More natural expressions such as “battery life,” “the keyboard is not functioning properly,” and “disrupting my work” would make your meaning clearer and more professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, for example, the sentence beginning “When I purchased this latest model” and the request beginning “I also want to build a trust.” However, complex attempts are often faulty, and frequent errors in sentence boundaries, articles, verb forms, and agreement make the letter difficult to read in places. For instance, “I am working as senior Manager in a IT lab forum” needs article and sentence-structure corrections, while “I have spend so much money” uses the wrong verb form. Several sentences run together without appropriate full stops, and capitalization is inconsistent. Practise building accurate short sentences first, then combine related ideas with controlled clauses. Proofread for articles, past participles, and punctuation.

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.