Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-26

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 hope you are doing good.

i am writing to inform you that the laptop which i got delivered last weak for the occupational purpose , i am facing some serious problem like shut down in the middle of something without any concern.

Due to this , my work is affected so badly in terms of attending zoom meeting , sending some important emails which only i can do it by my laptop which is company policy.

So , if it is possible can you send somebody who can pick this equipment and fix it asap .If there is something major . please try to replace it with new one .In the meantime, if it possible arrange some alternative so i can do my pending task on time without any delays.

I hope you will understand my situation and will get back to me with some positive news as soon as possible.

Yours Sincerely

Rahul Sharma

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. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the description of the problem ('shut down in the middle of something') is a bit vague, and the request for an alternative could be more clearly articulated. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of how the problem affects your work is more detailed and professional, perhaps by mentioning specific deadlines or client-facing tasks that are being missed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used to separate the problem, the impact, and the request, which helps the reader follow the argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical (e.g., 'Due to this', 'So'). The flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is more precise. The overall progression of ideas is clear, but the transitions between paragraphs feel slightly abrupt.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. You rely on simple phrasing such as 'doing good', 'serious problem', and 'fix it'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'occupational purpose' (which sounds unnatural in this context) and 'last weak' (a spelling error for 'week'). To improve, try to incorporate more specific business-related vocabulary, such as 'technical malfunction', 'hindering my productivity', or 'expedite the repair process'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with capitalization ('i', 'zoom'), punctuation (spacing before commas), and sentence structure. For example, 'the laptop which i got delivered last weak... i am facing' is a run-on sentence with a dangling subject. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are persistent. You should focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that you avoid comma splices. Using more complex structures would also help, but accuracy must be prioritized first.

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

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