Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-12

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding your new software update.

Last year, I purchased Dell laptop from your shop. Last week, after getting notification from company I updated my laptop with new software version. I was shocked to see that it takes 20 minutes to open any application in my laptop.

I work from my home and I have an early morning meetings. In morning, I am facing difficulty to join the meeting as it takes 20 minute for me to open the Google meet. Moreover, the file sharing is also not possible during the meeting. Apart from that, during work every file takes longer duration to open so it is unable for me to do any work with my laptop.

I would like to request that could you please change my laptop with another one. It would be great if you could do this within two days. I hope you could consider my request. Thank you for your support and assistance.

Yours faithfully,

Rajat Kapoor

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly described the technical issue, explained the impact on your work (specifically regarding meetings and file management), and stated a clear request for a replacement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of ideas is slightly more nuanced; for example, you could have briefly mentioned the specific software name or the model of the laptop to add more professional detail, but overall, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the task. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the problem to its impact and finally to the desired solution. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover,' 'Apart from that,' and 'In addition,' which help the flow. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary the sentence structure to link ideas more fluidly rather than relying on standard connectors at the start of every sentence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dissatisfaction,' 'notification,' and 'assistance' correctly. There are some minor errors in collocation and phrasing, such as 'it is unable for me to do any work' (should be 'I am unable to do any work') and 'change my laptop' (a more precise term would be 'replace'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of formal business terminology would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'I purchased Dell laptop' (missing an article: 'a Dell laptop'), 'In morning' (should be 'In the morning'), and 'it takes 20 minute' (should be '20 minutes'). Additionally, the sentence 'I would like to request that could you please change...' is grammatically awkward; a better structure would be 'I would like to request that you replace my laptop.' These errors occur frequently but do not impede communication.

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

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