Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-29

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)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about a laptop that I purchased from your company last month. Unfortunately, I have been experiencing several problems with the equipment since last week.

The main problem is that the laptop suddenly shuts down after around 20–30 minutes of use, even when the battery is fully charged. It also becomes extremely hot and sometimes freezes before switching off. I have tried restarting the laptop and charging it again, but the problem still occurs.

This issue is seriously affecting my work because I work from home and depend on the laptop throughout the day. I use it to attend online meetings, communicate with clients and prepare important reports. As a result, I have already missed two meetings and have been unable to complete some tasks on time.

I would therefore like you to replace the laptop with a new one as soon as possible. If a replacement is not available, I would appreciate it if you could arrange for it to be repaired immediately at no additional cost.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Namita

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly described the technical issues with the laptop, explained the negative impact on your professional responsibilities, and provided a clear request for a resolution. The tone is consistently formal and appropriate for a letter of complaint. The ideas are well-developed and logically presented, ensuring the reader understands both the nature of the problem and the urgency of the situation. You have successfully fulfilled all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, starting with the problem description, moving to the impact, and concluding with the proposed solution. You have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'The main problem is', 'This issue is', and 'As a result', which help guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, and the overall structure is professional and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal complaint. Phrases such as 'experiencing several problems', 'depend on the laptop', and 'at no additional cost' are used accurately and naturally. While the vocabulary is functional and precise, it remains standard. To reach the highest bands, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated collocations or nuanced adjectives to describe the frustration or the technical failure, but your current usage is entirely appropriate for the context and conveys your message without any errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is highly accurate throughout the letter. You have used a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences like 'The main problem is that the laptop suddenly shuts down after around 20–30 minutes of use, even when the battery is fully charged.' Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no noticeable errors in tense or subject-verb agreement. The writing is fluent, and the control over grammatical structures is consistent, which makes the letter very easy to read and professional in tone.

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

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