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/Mam
I am writing this letter to inform you regarding the mouse that I bought from your store yesterday.
Yesterday I came to your store with my friend to buy a PC mouse at around 6:30 pm and there is supervisor tanu she helped her there. We saw many mouse but we purchased the new launched cherry company mouse and at store it was working very well but today at home when I was trying to fix it with my Pc suddenly it stopped working which pissed me off.
I am facing so many problems with this mouse as I am unable to attend the meetings and finish my project work.
This mouse have one year warranty so, I would like to request you to please exchange or refund
I will be very thankful to you . I will mention my card details below.
Yours sincerely,
Kirandeep
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The letter covers all three bullet points: the problem is described, the impact on work is explained, and a resolution is requested. However, the response falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. The tone is somewhat inconsistent; while it is a formal letter, the use of 'pissed me off' is inappropriate for a professional complaint. The ideas are relevant but could be developed with more detail regarding the specific nature of the technical fault to fully meet the requirements of a formal business communication.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited. There is a reliance on simple conjunctions like 'and' and 'but', and the transition between the description of the purchase and the problem is somewhat abrupt. The paragraphing is present, but the overall flow could be improved by using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'as a result') to connect the ideas more fluidly and professionally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and formal register required for a business letter. Phrases like 'new launched cherry company mouse' and 'fix it with my Pc' are slightly unnatural. The use of 'pissed me off' is too informal and colloquial for this context. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology, such as 'defective', 'malfunctioning', or 'technical issue', and maintain a consistently professional tone throughout the correspondence.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The letter contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'This mouse have one year warranty' (subject-verb agreement) and 'there is supervisor tanu she helped her there' (run-on sentence/punctuation). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the salutation 'Dear Sir/Mam' and the lack of proper sentence termination in some areas. While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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