Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-17

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/ Madam,

I am Writing this letter to inform you about the equipment a printer which i bought from your shop last month. Actually, I am working on my computer then saw it copy from the printer that came bad and all over the paper there is just the black lines, it is not printing the proper words on the paper. Furthermore, it greatly affects my work as i need to print so many papers for my clients so due to this problem my work is slowed down which also creates problems for my clients.

However, this printer also have one year warranty period and i also have everything available such as a warranty card, a slip of my purchase which you provided when i bought it. So, I request that you please fix the problem of this printer as soon as possible because i urgently need it for my daily use. I really appreciate it.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours Faithfully

Hassanpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: describing the problem, explaining the impact on work, and requesting a resolution. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the description of the printer's issue ('black lines') is clear, but the explanation of the impact on work could be more detailed to fully satisfy the requirements of a higher band. The letter is well-structured and covers all necessary information to achieve the task's purpose effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into three paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore', 'However', and 'So', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly misused (e.g., 'However' is used to introduce a point about the warranty, which is not a contrast to the previous paragraph). The progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. Overall, the flow is sufficient to maintain communication without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the necessary information clearly. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'came bad' and 'a slip of my purchase'. While the range is limited, it is sufficient to communicate the situation effectively. To reach a higher band, the writer should focus on more precise collocations and a wider variety of vocabulary related to office equipment and customer service interactions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I am Writing' (capitalization), 'I am working... then saw' (tense inconsistency), and 'this printer also have' (subject-verb agreement). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede the reader's understanding of the message. The punctuation is generally functional, though there are minor issues with sentence boundaries and capitalization. Improving control over verb tenses and subject-verb agreement would significantly enhance the accuracy of the writing.

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

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