Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-19

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 or Madam,

I am writing to you to complain about a laptop which I recently bought from your shop.

Recently, I purchased the Del laptop, so I can easily work from home for my company. Initially, the laptop was working perfect and I was able to complete all my tasks before deadline. However, after two weeks ago the laptop suddenly stop working. It only works when I plugged the charger to the laptop. Additionally, the performance was getting slow while I worked on multiple apps.

Due to this problems, I am not able to complete my tasks on time and I have to take a help from my colleagues. Moreover, now I have to waste time on travelling to the workplace to attend the meetings and to complete my leftover work.

I would appreciate it if you could change my laptop with new one as soon as possible. I would be happy to pickup new laptop from your store when it is available.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Parm

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly describe the technical issues with the laptop, explain the negative impact on your professional responsibilities, and state a clear request for a replacement. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific detail regarding the 'multiple apps' or the nature of the work affected, which would further develop the ideas. However, the response is well-focused and meets all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph has a central focus, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'However', 'Additionally', and 'Moreover' to link your ideas. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, ensure that the connection between sentences is smoother; for example, the transition between the description of the problem and its impact could be more fluid. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the progression of ideas is clear.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'consideration', 'colleagues', and 'workplace'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'working perfect' (should be 'perfectly') and 'take a help' (should be 'get help' or 'seek assistance'). Additionally, 'change my laptop with new one' is slightly unnatural; 'replace my laptop with a new one' would be more precise. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating more sophisticated collocations or precise technical terminology would help elevate the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'after two weeks ago' (which is redundant), 'laptop suddenly stop working' (should be 'stopped'), and 'plugged the charger' (should be 'plug in'). These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To improve, focus on verb tense consistency and subject-verb agreement. While you attempt complex sentences, the accuracy of these structures needs to be more consistent to reach the next band level. Proofreading for small errors like articles and verb forms will be beneficial.

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

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