Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to complain about the laptop which I purchased recently from your apple store, and I use it for my job.

I bought it two months ago and now it started to show problems like it automatically shut down while I am working, so sometime my all-data erase which I need to do prepared again. It wastes a lot of time and energy.

Moreover, sometime the screen hanged while working than I again need to shut it down and restart to do my work again, so sometimes I didn't able to finish my work on time which also create problem for my company.

Overall, I will appreciate it if you can send someone to check it and fix the problem or exchange it with the new one, so that I will do my work properly.

I am looking forward for your prompt response.

Yours faithfully,

Rupinder Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: describing the problem, explaining the impact on work, and stating the desired resolution. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of how the problem affects work is repetitive, focusing primarily on the loss of time. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific details about the nature of your work or the urgency of the deadlines missed. Despite this, the purpose of the letter is clear, and all parts of the task are covered.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problem from the impact and the request. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'Overall' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between the laptop shutting down and the data being erased could be smoother. Overall, the message is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic verbs like 'show', 'do', and 'make'. Phrases such as 'do prepared again' and 'my all-data erase' are non-standard and hinder the natural flow of the text. While the meaning is generally conveyed, there is a lack of flexibility in word choice. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to technical malfunctions and professional communication, such as 'system failure', 'data loss', or 'rectify the issue'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'sometime my all-data erase' (incorrect verb tense and word order), 'sometime the screen hanged' (incorrect tense), and 'I didn't able to' (missing auxiliary verb). These errors are noticeable and occur throughout the text. While the meaning remains understandable, the lack of control over basic verb tenses and sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.