Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have bought some clothing online and are not satisfied with your purchase.

Write a letter to the company that you bought the clothing from. In your email:

• give details of the purchase
• describe the problem
• explain why you need a replacement urgently

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 to express my dissatisfaction regarding my recent online purchase from your company. It is your brand's lastest laptop which I order last month on 10th of October and I received it on 15th of October.

Its been over a decade since I am using this company's gadgets and this is the first time that I faced some serious issues with product. Firstly, it heats up just after using for half an hour, and sometimes I have to leave my work in between for cooling it down which hampers my work. Moreover, its battery backup is terribly bad that the battery drains after using for almost an hours. These serious problems with the product is hindering my work and I am quite disappointed with the company as it was not expected from such a reputed brand.

I actually spent all my savings in purchasing my laptop as my old laptop has worn out, and I really need it for my work related projects. So I request you for a replacement by the coming week because all my assignments are due in the first week of December and I am left with quite a short period of time.

Thank you for understanding.

Regards,

Isha Mehta

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three required points: it identifies the purchase and dates, explains the overheating and battery problems, and requests a replacement by the coming week. The urgency is supported with relevant context about work projects and assignments due in December. This gives the reader a clear reason to act. Some details could be more fully developed: the purchase information is vague because the item is called “your brand’s lastest laptop” without a model or order reference, and the requested remedy could be stated more explicitly as a replacement for the faulty unit. The response already covers the task clearly, but adding precise purchase details and a direct request would make the content more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear progression: the opening states the purpose, the next paragraph describes the faults, and the final paragraph explains the urgency and requested action. Paragraphing is appropriate, and linking expressions such as “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “So” help guide the reader through the points. The sequence is easy to follow throughout. Some connections are a little mechanical, particularly the list-like transition from “Firstly” to “Moreover,” and the final request could be linked more smoothly to the explanation of the deadlines. Overall, the organisation is effective; more varied transitions and slightly clearer links between cause and consequence would make the cohesion feel more natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for a complaint letter and includes useful expressions such as “dissatisfaction,” “serious issues,” “battery drains,” and “reputed brand.” These choices communicate the problem and the writer’s disappointment clearly. There are also some inaccurate or unnatural combinations, including “battery backup is terribly bad,” “using for almost an hours,” and “work related projects.” “Lastest” is a spelling error, and “gadgets” is less precise than a term referring specifically to the laptop. These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. To strengthen the vocabulary, use more conventional complaint and product language, such as “battery life is very poor” and “work-related projects.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter uses a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “as my old laptop has worn out” and a reason clause explaining the need for a replacement. Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors are noticeable. For example, “which I order last month” needs a past-tense verb, while “Its been over a decade since I am using” has problems with the contraction and tense pattern. There are also agreement and article errors in “These serious problems … is hindering” and “after using for almost an hours.” These do not usually obscure the message, but more consistent control of tense, agreement, and sentence patterns would improve accuracy.

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