Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-18

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 complain about the device that I am using for my work is Computer which i purchased from your company.

Firstly, it hangs very often. In particular, whenever I am using MS Excel it automatically started showing me popup like "MS not working," and then my screen freezes for 5 minutes. My computer slows down and I have to restart again and again.

In addition, this affects my work in terms of time and energy as I described it have to wait for longer period even to do a basic task and it ois frustrating sometimes. Subsequently, my employer give me a warning as I am not able to submit work on time.

Finally, I would be grateful if you could solve technical issues and install a new version MS office and provide a SD card that helps to increase the speed and memory. I believe that this would solve my problem.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully,

Kamal Ratia

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: describing the problem, explaining the impact on your work, and stating your desired resolution. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention the computer 'hangs,' providing more specific details about the purchase date or warranty status would have strengthened the letter. Additionally, the request for an SD card to increase memory is technically inaccurate, as SD cards do not increase computer processing speed or RAM. Ensuring your technical suggestions are logical would improve the task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly,' 'In addition,' and 'Finally' to guide the reader through your points. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition in the second paragraph ('as I described it have to wait') is slightly awkward and lacks smooth connectivity. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and ensure that pronouns and references clearly point back to the intended nouns to avoid ambiguity.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'convenience,' 'frustrating,' and 'technical issues.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'hangs' is informal; 'malfunctions' or 'freezes' would be more professional. The phrase 'restart again and again' is repetitive and informal. Furthermore, there are minor errors such as 'MS not working' (which should be 'is not working') and 'provide a SD card' (which should be 'an SD card'). Expanding your range to include more precise business-related terminology would improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include: 'the device that I am using for my work is Computer' (missing article), 'it automatically started showing me' (tense inconsistency), and 'my employer give me a warning' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, there are punctuation and capitalization slips, such as 'ois' and 'MS office.' While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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