Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to show disappointment regarding one of electric tool which I bought from your shop.

Last month, I purchased a dough maker. It belongs to the 'Kitchen Aid' company. I got this device with $75, with black in color. I have been using it for one week and I noticed that I get stop automatically after some interval. It is not making dough perfectly as I want.

I was so excited while shopping for this, always I got late for my office work. Then, I decided to go for this. However, I felt bad that I spent money but I did not get useful result. Due to some malfunction I always get late to arrive at workplace.

I only want to suggest, either shopkeeper exchanged this or they refund me back. I do not want repairing service for the same item. Since it can break down in future again.

I hope seller will understand my situation. I will wait for your response that you will take prompt any action.

Yours faithfully,

Anju Pal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the problem, explaining the impact on work, and stating the desired resolution. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal complaint. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of how the dough maker affects your office work is slightly confusing and lacks clarity, as it is unclear why a kitchen appliance failure would cause you to be late for office work. To improve, ensure that your explanations are logical and directly relevant to the context provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure of the complaint. There is a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For instance, the transition between the description of the problem and the impact on your work feels abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'as a result') would improve the flow of the text and help connect your ideas more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate the main points effectively. You use some specific terms like 'malfunction' and 'prompt action'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'I got stop automatically' instead of 'it stops automatically' and 'I got late' instead of 'I was late'. Expanding your range of vocabulary and focusing on correct collocations—words that naturally go together—will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and articles (e.g., 'one of electric tool' should be 'one of the electric tools', and 'I got this device with $75' should be 'I bought this device for $75'). Additionally, there are issues with sentence fragments and punctuation. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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