Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-20

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,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to report that my laptop keyboard has not been working properly for the past two days.

Firstly, when I use my keyboard for my online work its does not run properly because its almost 10 years old and suddenly last week its just slipped from my hand and some keys its broken and i cannot type properly.

Furthermore, i am only doing online work for my job, and its really disadvantages for me to utilize this broken keyboard its effect my routine because which work i complete in 1 hour before , right now it takes two to three hours.

I request for your shops could u please order a new keyboard for me within 2,3 days because it can relief my stress and i do my work with the time.

I am really thankful for your help .

Yours faithfully

Ashmit

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 requesting a solution. However, the development is somewhat limited. The explanation of the problem is slightly confusing, as you mention the keyboard is 10 years old and then state it slipped from your hand, which makes the cause of the damage unclear. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, although the request for a new keyboard within '2,3 days' is a bit informal. To improve, ensure your explanation of events is logical and consistent, and maintain a professional tone throughout the correspondence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'I request', which provide a basic framework for the letter. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the use of 'its' instead of 'it is' or 'it has', which disrupts the logical progression of your ideas. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that pronouns clearly refer back to their intended nouns.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms like 'run properly', 'broken', and 'disadvantages'. There are also several errors in word choice and form, such as 'its really disadvantages for me' (should be 'it is a real disadvantage') and 'it can relief my stress' (should be 'relieve'). The spelling of 'its' is frequently confused with 'it's'. To improve, try to incorporate more specific vocabulary related to office equipment and professional communication, and pay closer attention to word forms and common collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'some keys its broken'), incorrect use of apostrophes, and run-on sentences. For example, the sentence '...which work i complete in 1 hour before , right now it takes two to three hours' is grammatically awkward and lacks proper punctuation. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and basic punctuation rules.

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

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