Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-31

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you about problem of equipment.

Firstly, I buy this equipment one month ago.Which is laptop. It has a problem. It is not work better. It has suddenly shut down. Sometimes it work properly. But it creates a critical problem. When I work at home then it so disturb me.

Secondly, when I work in office or home. It is not work better. So, I can't complete my projects and assignments at time. When I start my work it suddenly off and my work delete. Again I open website on my laptop. Then I begin again my task. So I am worried about it.

Finally, I wanted to return this equipment. Because its not good. So you return this laptop and give me new laptop. If you can't return then change it and give me another laptop. You also give guarantee for 2 year. Because I repair this free and easily.

Yours faithfully,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you identify the laptop’s sudden shutdowns, explain that lost work delays your projects, and request a replacement or exchange. The purpose is clear, and the letter has an appropriate formal opening and closing. However, some details are less fully explained: for example, “Sometimes it work properly” does not clarify how often the fault occurs, and the request for a two-year guarantee is not clearly connected to the remedy. The final sentence, “Because I repair this free and easily,” also leaves your intended meaning unclear. To develop the response further, state precisely whether you want a refund, replacement, or repair, and explain what action you expect the supplier to take.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a coherent overall arrangement: it moves from describing the fault, to its effect on your work, and then to the action you want. The paragraph breaks and signposts “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Finally” help the reader follow this sequence. However, these transitions feel mechanical, and some connections between ideas are unclear. For instance, “When I work at home then it so disturb me” is followed by a paragraph about working “in office or home,” although the task concerns working at home. The repeated short statements also make the explanation feel choppy. Group related details into smoother sentences and use clearer links to show cause and effect, such as how the shutdown leads to lost work and missed deadlines.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

Your vocabulary is basic but relevant to the situation: “laptop,” “shut down,” “projects and assignments,” and “return” help communicate the main problem and request. However, several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, including “not work better,” “critical problem,” and “give me new laptop.” Some word combinations are unnatural, such as “my work delete” and “repair this free and easily,” which make parts of the message difficult to interpret. Aim for more precise language for equipment faults and their consequences, such as “malfunction,” “unsaved work is lost,” and “replacement.” Vary repeated words like “work” and “problem,” and choose phrases that clearly express the action you want from the supplier.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response communicates its main points using mostly short, simple sentences, with a few attempts to connect ideas using “when,” “because,” and “so.” However, grammatical errors occur across the letter and sometimes make details unclear. Examples include “I buy this equipment one month ago,” “Sometimes it work properly,” and “I can't complete my projects and assignments at time.” These show problems with past tense, subject–verb agreement, and articles or prepositions. Sentence boundaries and punctuation also need attention: “Which is laptop” is an incomplete sentence, and there is no space after the full stop in “ago.Which.” Practise accurate basic sentence patterns first, then combine related ideas into longer sentences while checking verb forms and punctuation.

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

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