Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 writing to inform you about having a trouble with my Laptop's battery which requires urgent attention.

The main issue is with my Laptop's battery. Over past few days, there was some fluctuation issue with electricity which caused the damage to the battery as, it was on charging at that time as, you know I work from home and don't have any alternative source to continue my office tasks. My job is online and it requires a computer full time. I am concerned , it will cause delay in my targets.

There are regular electricity outrages at my side, during those hours i am unable to perform my work It will be a great favor for me if you could arrange a new battery for me as early as possible.

I will be grateful to yo. I look forward for your prompt action.

Yours faithfully,

Syeda ulya

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: describing the problem, explaining the impact on your work, and stating your desired outcome. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation regarding the electricity fluctuations is a bit repetitive and could be more clearly linked to the specific failure of the battery. To improve, ensure that each point is fully elaborated with clear, logical connections to your professional situation, which would help in achieving a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical structure, moving from the introduction of the problem to the impact and finally the request. However, the paragraphing is weak; the response is essentially one large block of text, which hinders readability. Additionally, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as the repetitive use of 'as' in the second paragraph. To improve, use clear paragraph breaks to separate your ideas and incorporate a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'therefore') to improve the flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'urgent attention', 'fluctuation', and 'alternative source'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'having a trouble' (should be 'having trouble' or 'a problem') and 'electricity outrages' (should be 'power outages'). There are also minor spelling errors like 'yo' instead of 'you'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise professional terminology and ensure that your word forms are grammatically correct in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the damage to the battery'), punctuation (misuse of commas), and verb tense consistency. For instance, 'it was on charging' is non-standard; 'it was charging' would be more natural. There are also issues with sentence fragments and run-on sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect preposition usage.

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

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