Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-10

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 this letter regarding the printer I bought from your company last week. It is for my daily use at work and I need to fix it urgently. The problem is that it does not accept my first command when I try to print. I have to send two or more commands. Also, it sometimes stops during printing paper. I want to fix this problem as soon as possible because I use your product regularly for my work and it is affecting my work by wasting time sending excessive commands for just one print. I also lost an important client due to this problem, which affects my company's reputation. Sometimes, I need urgent prints for my job but the printer stop working and gets paper stuck in it. I am requesting you to look into this matter because I buy products from your store from last two years and I have not faced any type of problem till now. So, I want you to replace or repair this printer.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

yours faithfully,

Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

You cover all three requirements clearly: you describe the printer’s failure to respond to the first command and its paper jams, explain the time lost and the effect on your client and company reputation, and request a repair or replacement. These details make the complaint relevant and persuasive, and the request is clear. The explanation of the work impact is particularly well supported by specific consequences. To make the response even more complete, clarify what outcome you prefer and, if appropriate, ask the company to arrange a collection or provide a replacement within a reasonable timeframe. Overall, the purpose and key details are communicated effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a sensible sequence: it introduces the purchase and problem, explains the consequences, and ends with a request. The closing is appropriate, and linking phrases such as “Also,” “because,” and “So” help connect points. However, most of the content is placed in one long paragraph, so the shift from describing faults to explaining their impact is not clearly signposted. Some connections are also repetitive, particularly the repeated references to the problem affecting work. Use separate paragraphs for the fault, its consequences, and the requested action, and vary linking expressions so the progression feels less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for a formal complaint and communicates the main points, with useful phrases such as “urgent prints,” “paper stuck,” and “company’s reputation.” You also use relevant terms like “commands” and “replace or repair.” However, some wording is imprecise or repetitive: “fix” is used for both the printer and the problem, while “excessive commands” is not the most natural description of repeatedly resending a print job. “Stops during printing paper” is also awkwardly expressed. Aim for more precise collocations, such as “interrupts the print job,” “paper jams,” and “resend the print command.” This would make the complaint sound more polished and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “when,” and “which,” and the meaning remains clear throughout. Several sentences are controlled, such as “I am writing this letter regarding the printer I bought from your company last week.” Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “the printer stop working,” the verb should agree with the singular subject (“stops”); “I buy products … from last two years” needs a present perfect form and a different time expression (“I have bought … for the last two years”); and “I need to fix it” is unclear about whether you will repair it or want the company to do so. Capitalise “Yours faithfully” in the closing. More consistent control of verb forms and sentence phrasing would strengthen accuracy.

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