Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-07

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 7.0)

Dear sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my strong Dissatisfaction with the faulty laptop which I purchased from website last week. I am launching this complaint because the device has failed to meet with acceptable standard of performance.

Primarily issue arose when the computer screen began flickering violently within three days of operation. Specifically, The displays turns completely black whenever I attempt to launch any strong software application. Despite my attempt to resolve this matter by speaking with on-site technician , no appreciate assistance was provided.

Consequently, I have no access to my personal documents. This caused significant inconvenience for me because I missed my two critical assignments deadlines and had to borrow an equipment from my colleague to complete some projects.

To rectify this problem, I insist that your company provide me full refund into my original credit card additionally offer a formal apology for their unprofessional behavior .

I trust you will handle this issue with urgency it requires.

I look forward to your prompt response regarding the step you will take.

Yours Faithfully,

Aarti

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe the technical issue with the laptop screen, explain the negative impact on your work (missed deadlines and borrowing equipment), and state your desired resolution (a refund and an apology). The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and the purpose is clear from the beginning. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of ideas is slightly more nuanced; for example, you could briefly mention the specific model or purchase reference to make the complaint feel more authentic and professional.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. You use cohesive devices such as 'Primarily', 'Specifically', and 'Consequently' to guide the reader through your argument. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by minor mechanical errors in punctuation and capitalization (e.g., 'Dear sir or Madam'). While the progression of ideas is clear, the transition between the problem description and the impact on your work could be smoother. Overall, the structure is effective and supports the reader's understanding of your situation.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal complaint, such as 'dissatisfaction', 'rectify', and 'unprofessional behavior'. There are some minor collocation and word choice errors, such as 'meet with acceptable standard' (should be 'meet acceptable standards') and 'borrow an equipment' ('equipment' is uncountable). Additionally, 'appreciate assistance' should be 'appropriate assistance'. Despite these slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly and maintains a formal tone throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, including capitalization issues ('sir', 'Madam'), article usage ('an equipment'), and subject-verb agreement ('The displays turns'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, pay closer attention to pluralization and the correct use of articles with uncountable nouns. Your control of sentence structure is generally good, but more careful proofreading would help eliminate these recurring minor errors.

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

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