Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-05

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 tell my dissatisfaction about the dell laptop that i purchased from you shop two weeks ago.

Regarding the laptop, i ordered it online from your shop because i got a chance to do a work form home. Initially, it was working properly but after some days the screen is shutting down after every 5 minutes even after a full charger. I tried everything but it's not working as it need to be. I am unable to work efficiently, and I have also had to postpone some important tasks because I cannot use the equipment reliably.

I would therefore appreciate it if you could arrange a new laptop as this one is in warranty or provide me full refund, which one is possible. Please let me know if you require my receipt or any other information.

I look forward to your prompt response and hope this matter can be resolved soon.

Yours faithfully,

Harmanpreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: describing the problem (screen shutting down), explaining the impact on your work (postponing tasks), and stating the desired resolution (replacement or refund). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. To reach a higher band, ensure that the opening statement is more precise; for example, instead of 'tell my dissatisfaction', use 'express my dissatisfaction'. The development of ideas is clear and logical, and the purpose of the letter is immediately apparent to the reader, which is essential for a Band 7 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used appropriate paragraphing to separate the introduction, the body of the complaint, the request for action, and the closing. Cohesive devices such as 'Regarding the laptop', 'Initially', and 'I would therefore appreciate' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, the transition between sentences could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the flow. The overall structure is coherent, and the letter follows a standard formal format, which makes it easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. Phrases like 'work efficiently' and 'prompt response' are appropriate for this context. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'do a work form home' (should be 'work from home') and 'even after a full charger' (should be 'full charge'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the variety and sophistication required for higher bands, remaining mostly at a functional level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'you shop' instead of 'your shop', 'i' not being capitalized, and 'as it need to be' instead of 'as it needs to be'. These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not impede communication. To move to a higher band, you should focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent capitalization. Increasing the use of error-free complex sentences will also help improve your score in this criterion.

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

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