Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-14
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 5.0)
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing this letter regarding a laptop that I received last month from your company.
As I mentioned before purchasing this laptop I am home based writer need to use my laptop 24x7. It was working well until 2 weeks but since last week it started giving me trouble with loading files, processing low, rebooting and all that. Which effect on my productivity, I am unable to upload files on times. Eventually it is take more than a hour to submit reports
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 85 words. While you have addressed the three bullet points—describing the problem, explaining the impact on your work, and mentioning a need for action—the development is insufficient. The letter lacks a formal closing and fails to clearly state what specific action you want the company to take (e.g., a refund, repair, or replacement). Because the response is significantly under-length and lacks the necessary detail to fully satisfy the task requirements, it falls into the lower band range.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter is very brief, making it difficult to establish a clear logical progression. There is a lack of paragraphing, which is essential for a formal letter. Cohesive devices are largely absent, and the transition between the problem description and the impact on your work is abrupt. The structure feels more like a collection of sentences than a cohesive piece of correspondence. To improve, you should use clear paragraph breaks for each point and incorporate linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'therefore' to connect your ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'giving me trouble' and 'all that' are informal and lack the precision required for a formal business letter. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'processing low' instead of 'slow processing' and 'effect' used where 'affect' is required. The range of vocabulary is limited, which restricts your ability to convey the urgency or professional nature of the situation. Expanding your range to include more specific business terminology would significantly enhance your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of the text. Examples include 'I am home based writer need to use' (missing articles and relative pronouns), 'until 2 weeks' (incorrect preposition usage), and 'it is take more than a hour' (incorrect verb tense and article usage). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that your verb tenses are consistent throughout the letter.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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