Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-02

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 or madam,

A couple of months ago, I purchased a Dell laptop from your store. Unfortunately, the device has suddenly stopped working when I was using this for my work and now its totally unusable. I really need this laptop to complete my work as I work from home. and I am hoping that you will repair or replace it.

The specific problem of the laptop is the screen does not show anything except black screen. It worked just fine yesterday but now its completely unusual to use. I have checked the battery and the power connection also tried to find the problem . But I could not find any solid reason. For you kind information my purchase number is [redacted phone] and I am also attaching a copy of my receipt with this letter.

I have many projects to do that I need to finish before the end of the month. If my laptop does not work, I am unable to work.

I also have a valid warranty and I need this device to be fixed immediately. I am hoping that you would repair it within 4 days or replace it with a new one and transfer the data.

I hope you understand my situation.

Your faithfully,

Khushpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly describe the technical issue with the laptop screen, explain the negative impact on your work projects, and state your expectations for a repair or replacement. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are slightly more developed; for instance, you could briefly mention the specific nature of the projects affected to add more weight to your request. Overall, the response is well-focused and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs covering the problem and impact, and a concluding request. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'However', and 'If', which help the flow of information. However, the paragraphing is slightly disjointed; the second paragraph contains a mix of problem description and administrative details (receipt/warranty), which could be better separated. Additionally, some transitions between sentences are a bit mechanical. Improving the use of linking phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly would enhance the overall coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'unusable', 'warranty', and 'purchase number'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'completely unusual to use' (which is not the correct collocation for a broken device) and 'For you kind information' (should be 'your'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire to include more sophisticated collocations related to technical issues would improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'when I was using this' (should be 'when I was using it'), 'its totally unusable' (missing apostrophe), and 'Your faithfully' (should be 'Yours faithfully'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of punctuation, particularly with possessives and contractions. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will help you achieve a higher band.

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

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