Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

I am writing to complain about the equipment which I purchased from your shop, as it is not functioning properly. I work from home and rely on my computer every day, but the keyboard is causing great difficulty in my daily work.

The problem is with the keyboard supplied along with the computer which I purchased from your shop last month. Some keys of that keyboard do not function properly while typing, and consequently, result in errors in my typing.

As I work from home for a reputable company, I need to prepare reports and write a lot of time-sensitive professional correspondence to my acquaintances, and having this typing issue is negatively impacting my work productivity. As a result I have missed deadlines and experienced unnecessary stress.

I would request you to kindly replace the defective keyboard on an urgent basis and arrange the delivery of a new keyboard to my home address. I have attached the receipt along with this email.

Your attention to this matter is of dire importance, and I look forward to your prompt reply acknowledging this matter.

Kind regards,

Rashpal Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly described the keyboard issue, explained the negative impact on your professional reports and deadlines, and provided a clear request for a replacement. The tone is appropriately formal for a business complaint letter. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. You have successfully met all the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the problem description to the impact and finally the requested action. Cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'as a result', and 'in addition' (implied through structure) are used effectively to link sentences. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the flow of information is smooth and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal complaint. Phrases like 'time-sensitive professional correspondence' and 'negatively impacting my work productivity' are precise and effective. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band. For instance, 'great difficulty' is a bit generic. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient to convey your message clearly and professionally without any noticeable errors in word choice or collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used complex sentences effectively, such as 'I work from home and rely on my computer every day, but the keyboard is causing great difficulty...' and 'I would request you to kindly replace...'. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. Punctuation is used correctly throughout the letter, and the sentence control is consistent, reflecting a high level of proficiency.

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.