Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-06

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/Madam,

I am writing this letter to enquire about the USB port device for HP laptop. I am facing some trouble while connecting the USB to my laptop device, every time when I try connecting the USB the laptop cannot read the device. Initially, I thought maybe my laptop needs an update or the USB is defective but I updated my laptop and tried another USB , couldn't resolve the issue.

I work for a software company at home, and having troubles connecting a device to the laptop is causing a delay in transferring my data and submit to the manager which utlimately affecting my work deadlines.

Its my request to you that if you could replace my current USB port to the new one so that this error can be resolved. Can you reply to this as soon as possible so that the problem gets resolved.

Thankyou

Priyanka

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly described the technical issue with the USB port, explained the negative impact on your work deadlines, and stated your desired outcome (a replacement). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter, and the purpose is clear from the beginning. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific detail regarding the 'software company' work or the exact model of the device to make the request feel more authentic and fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the problem description to the impact and finally the request. Paragraphing is used to separate these ideas effectively. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited. For instance, the transition between the problem and the impact could be smoother with better linking words (e.g., 'Consequently' or 'As a result'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly repetitive in structure, which makes the flow feel a bit mechanical at times. Improving the variety of transition signals would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'software company' and 'work deadlines' are relevant and accurate. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'trouble while connecting' (better: 'difficulty connecting') and 'submit to the manager' (better: 'submitting work to my manager'). The spelling error 'utlimately' also detracts slightly from the professional tone. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring consistent proofreading for common spelling slips.

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 slips. For example, 'every time when I try connecting' is slightly awkward; 'whenever I try to connect' would be more natural. There are also punctuation issues, such as the comma splice in the first paragraph ('...tried another USB , couldn't resolve the issue'). Additionally, 'replace my current USB port to the new one' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'replace my current USB port with a new one'. Increasing your control over prepositions and sentence boundaries will improve your score.

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

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