Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-01

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 8.0)

Dear sir or madam,

I am writing to complain about a problem with a laptop that I purchased from your company two months ago.

Over the past few days, the laptop has started shutting down unexpectedly, even when the battery is fully charged. In addition, it sometimes becomes extremely slow or freezes when I am using several applications at the same time. I have tried restarting it and installing the latest software updates but the problem has continued.

This issue is seriously affecting my work. I regularly attend online meetings and I have to use different programmes simultaneously. Since the laptop keeps freezing and shutting off, I have missed some important meetings and have been unable to complete a few tasks on time. Because I am working from home, I do not have access to another company computer.

I would therefore like you to arrange a repair or replacement as soon as possible. If the repair can not be done quickly, I would appreciate a replacement of the same or better quality laptop. Please let me know what I need to do to return the faulty equipment.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours faithfully,

Diljot Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.5

The response covers all parts of the task well, providing a fully developed and clear account of the situation. You successfully describe the specific problem with the laptop shutting down unexpectedly and freezing, explain the negative impact on your work such as missing important online meetings, and state clearly what action you want the company to take by requesting a prompt repair or replacement. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and all bullet points are addressed thoroughly with relevant and well-supported ideas throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

Ideas are logically sequenced, showing a clear overall progression throughout the letter. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with the statement of purpose, moving on to describe the technical issues, explaining the professional consequences, and concluding with the desired resolution. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, and cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Since', and 'I would therefore' are managed well to connect ideas smoothly without feeling mechanical or obtrusive.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The vocabulary used is adequate and shows a sufficient range for the task, allowing you to discuss technical issues and professional impacts with reasonable precision. You attempt less common items and phrases such as 'shutting down unexpectedly', 'software updates', and 'simultaneously' with general success. Word choice and collocation are mostly natural, though occasional reliance on standard functional vocabulary prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Spelling and word forms are accurate throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

A good variety of complex sentence structures is used, including conditional and causal clauses such as 'Since the laptop keeps freezing and shutting off' and 'If the repair can not be done quickly'. There are frequent error-free sentences, and your control of grammar, tense consistency, and punctuation is generally strong. While a minor slip like 'can not' (usually written as 'cannot') is present, it does not impede communication and demonstrates a solid command of grammatical forms.

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