Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear sir or madam,

I hope you are doing well, I am writing to inform you about problem with laptop which one I'm using during work. I would like to know I have mack book Neo which is not perfect for working website and to helping with coding, as well as its only allow me to do one application at one time. so its very time consuming sometime I finish 1 hour work within 3 hour therefore, I can't separate my professional life with my work life. so I would like to ask you if you can provide me a new laptop that has capability to work one time with few applications. my few coworker told me MacBook Air is good equipment for work . I will be glad if you can consider my appeal for priority bases so I can provide you quick results through my work .

thank you

Jaspreet Kaur sekhon

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points: the problem is described, the impact on work is explained, and a request for a replacement is made. However, the development is somewhat limited. The explanation of the technical issue is vague (e.g., 'not perfect for working website'), and the tone is inconsistent for a formal business letter. While the task is fulfilled, the lack of professional register and the brevity of the explanation mean it does not fully meet the criteria for a higher band. To improve, ensure that the description of the problem is precise and the tone remains consistently formal throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into a single block of text, which lacks appropriate paragraphing. While there is a logical progression from the problem to the impact and finally the request, the lack of paragraph breaks makes the text feel cluttered. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often repetitive (e.g., 'so', 'therefore') or used incorrectly (e.g., 'so its very time consuming'). To improve, use clear paragraph breaks to separate the introduction, the body of the complaint, and the conclusion. Additionally, vary your linking words to improve the flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the message but is quite basic and contains several inaccuracies. Phrases like 'working website' and 'work one time' are unnatural and imprecise. There are also errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'priority bases' instead of 'priority basis'. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on simple, repetitive structures. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise professional terminology related to technology and business correspondence, and pay closer attention to standard collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. There are issues with article usage ('the problem with laptop'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure (e.g., 'I am writing to inform you about problem with laptop which one I'm using'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing capital letters. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic structures prevents a higher score. Focus on mastering sentence boundaries and basic article usage to improve accuracy.

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

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