Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-25

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,

I am writing this email to complain about the printer which I bought two months ago. I bought a 25 inches mini printer with advance technology for my frequent office use.

Unfortunately, within a month, printer stated to give problem while printing coloured paper. Also, it was mentioned in the booklet that ink needs to be refilled after a gap of 3 months, but I have to refill almost in fifteen days because of excessive marks left on printer while printing any paper.

As I have bought this printer so that I can easily work from home and print whenever required. In my current job, I often need to use this multiple times a day to print the shipping labels. I am facing trouble and customer complaints due to poor quality printing.

While buying this printer, I have opted for 5 years warranty program which offers replacement in case of any technical problem.

I would like you to send me some assistance to pickup the malfunctioned printer and provide me with the new as soon as possible.

Hoping for a prompt action.

Yours sincerely

Himanshu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly describe the printer's malfunction, explain the negative impact on your work (shipping labels and customer complaints), and state your desired outcome (replacement under warranty). The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that the details provided are slightly more precise; for instance, describing the 'excessive marks' in more detail would further develop the ideas. Overall, the task is fully addressed with a clear purpose and consistent tone throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Also', 'As I have bought', and 'While buying', which help the flow of information. However, the transition between the problem description and the impact could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'malfunctioned', 'assistance', and 'excessive marks'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'printer stated to give problem' (should be 'started to have problems') and 'provide me with the new' (should be 'provide me with a new one'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly, it lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. Focusing on more natural collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'printer stated to give problem' and 'I have to refill almost in fifteen days'. Additionally, 'I have bought this printer so that I can easily work' is a sentence fragment. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses, article usage, and ensuring that all sentences are complete and grammatically sound.

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

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