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,

I am writing to inform you that the laptop you gave me is giving hard time to me. It has been happening for the last five days. The screen is flashing on and off, and sometimes it is completely blank and there are two bright white horizontal lines in the top-left corner.

Let me explain the situation. It is a significant obstacle for me to sit for a long time. Moreover, it creates difficulty for me to work properly. Sometimes it completely blanks the screen, and it results in late email responses to the team.

Additionally, I am wondering if you can repair the laptop or replace it. It will help me to do my tasks on time.

I trust that you will take the above concern into consideration and take the necessary steps to address the matter. I would appreciate a response at your earliest convenience and look forward to a satisfactory resolution.

Yours faithfully,

Amanat Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: describing the technical problem, explaining the impact on work, and requesting a resolution. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of how the problem affects work is brief and could be more specific to demonstrate the severity of the issue. While the requirements are met, the response lacks the depth of detail that would push it into a higher band. The purpose of the letter is clear throughout, and the reader is left with no doubt about the situation or the desired outcome.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow the narrative. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'I trust that' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. To improve, the writer could use a wider variety of cohesive devices to create a more natural flow between sentences, as some connections currently feel a bit abrupt.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the message clearly. Phrases like 'significant obstacle' and 'earliest convenience' are appropriate for a formal context. However, there are some instances of unnatural phrasing, such as 'giving hard time to me' and 'completely blanks the screen'. These are slightly awkward collocations. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the problem, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding the use of more specific technical or professional terminology would enhance the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For instance, 'the laptop you gave me is giving hard time to me' is grammatically clunky, and 'it results in late email responses' could be phrased more naturally. There are also minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrasing. Despite these errors, the grammar does not impede communication. To reach a higher band, the writer should focus on reducing these minor errors and incorporating more varied, error-free complex sentence structures.

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

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