Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-01

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 am writing this letter to show my disappointment with my recent purchase of Sony headset which I bought from Walmart, which is on city edge branch of Brampton, affecting my quality of work.

Since I am pursuing my customer care service job from home and I bought Sony headphones after reading its reviews online from your store in city edge plaza as it has a great quality. Earlier two weeks it worked without hinderance but from last few days, it has been creating issues to listen the customers voice, as sometimes voice shivers and I cannot hear what they are telling me.

I am getting negative feedback and complaints that I am not responding their questions properly; therefore, it is negatively affecting my quality of work. My manager gave me a warning, and I can lose my job.

I tried numerous times to contact you through the phones but never get response from your side. I just want to return and expecting a full refund for it. I will return headphones in-person to your store tomorrow.

I am looking forward for your prompt response and full refund.

Yours faithfully,

Manveer

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described the problem with the headset, explained the impact on your work performance, and clearly stated your desired outcome (a refund). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. To reach a higher band, ensure that your opening sentence is more concise and grammatically accurate, as the current phrasing is slightly awkward. Additionally, providing a bit more detail about the specific model of the headset or the date of purchase would add further clarity to your complaint, making the letter more professional and effective.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problem, the impact, and the requested action. You use some cohesive devices such as 'therefore' and 'since', which help the flow of ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the description of the problem and the impact on your job could be improved with more sophisticated linking phrases to better guide the reader through your narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'prompt response' and 'in-person' are appropriate for this context. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'voice shivers' (which is not a standard way to describe audio distortion) and 'pursuing my customer care service job' (which is slightly unnatural). To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to technical issues and professional communication. Your vocabulary is sufficient for the task, but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'Earlier two weeks it worked' (should be 'For the first two weeks'), 'listen the customers voice' (should be 'hear the customers' voices'), and 'never get response' (should be 'never received a response'). These errors occur frequently but do not impede communication. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses and article usage. Increasing your control over complex sentence structures will help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

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

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