Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22
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 writing to express my dissatisfaction about the product, which I bought from your shop on August 12th.
About the product, I bought a sink for kitchen , the brand name is xyz, the material is stainless steel and the dimensions are 10"x 10". But, unfortunately , you deliver the wrong sized sink, which is 12"x12 and is not proper for my clients' kitchen.
THis halt my work
I trust that you will look into this matter and take necessary steps to prevent a similar situation from occurring the future. I look forward to your response.
yours faithfully,
Nardeep kaur
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 104 words. While you have addressed the three bullet points—describing the problem, explaining the impact on your work, and stating the desired action—the ideas are significantly underdeveloped. For instance, the explanation of how the incorrect sink affects your work is limited to a single, grammatically incorrect sentence: 'THis halt my work'. To achieve a higher band, you must expand on your points with more detail and ensure the letter meets the length requirement to allow for a full development of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for the task. However, the progression of ideas is quite abrupt due to the brevity of the text. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link sentences smoothly. For example, the transition between describing the product and stating the problem is mechanical. To improve, use linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'as a result' to connect your ideas more logically and improve the flow of the letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive. You rely on simple descriptors like 'wrong sized' and 'proper'. While the language is sufficient to convey the basic message, it lacks the range and precision expected for higher bands. There are also minor errors in formatting, such as '12"x12' missing the closing quotation mark. To improve, try to incorporate more specific business-related vocabulary, such as 'incorrect dimensions', 'inconvenience', or 'rectify the situation'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are several grammatical errors that hinder the quality of the writing. You wrote 'I writing' instead of 'I am writing', and 'THis halt my work' instead of 'This has halted my work'. Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as the space before the comma in 'unfortunately ,'. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with very little attempt at complex sentences. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure you use full verb forms, especially in a formal letter.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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