Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am writing to inform you about my dissatisfaction on the gown I purchased from your website a few weeks ago which was delivered to my office address yesterday. The clothe was not my perfect size and I would like to ask for a replacement urgently.

To start with, I ordered a white dress in medium size but upon receiving it, I discovered that you sent a big size to me instead of the medium size I requested for and to make matters worse, It was a red color not white.

I would appreciate it if you could send me another dress of the right size and color I initially ordered before next month because I would be wearing the gown to my friend's party which is coming up by next month. If this is not possible, I would like to get a refund so that I can buy the clothe from another vendor.

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,

Oluwaseun Bello.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter clearly addresses all three requirements: it identifies the purchase as a white, medium-sized dress, explains that a red, larger item arrived, and requests a replacement before the friend’s party next month. The alternative request for a refund also makes the desired outcome clear. The purpose and polite tone are maintained throughout. To strengthen the response further, give slightly more precise purchase details, such as an order number or the date of purchase, and explain the urgency more specifically—for example, why there is little time to find another suitable outfit. The reason is relevant, but the party deadline is stated rather briefly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear, practical sequence: the opening states the complaint, the next paragraph describes the incorrect item, and the final body paragraph requests a solution and explains the deadline. Paragraphing supports the letter’s purpose, and phrases such as “To start with,” “If this is not possible,” and “I look forward to hearing from you” help guide the reader. Some linking is slightly formulaic, particularly “To start with,” which is not needed for a short complaint letter. You could make the progression more natural by moving directly from the purchase details to the mismatch, then linking the replacement request to the party date.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for a clear complaint, with useful expressions such as “dissatisfaction,” “replacement,” and “refund.” The reader can readily understand the problem and the requested action. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or less natural: “dissatisfaction on” would be “dissatisfaction with,” “the clothe” should be “the clothing” or “dress,” and “my perfect size” is unclear where “the correct size” is intended. “Big size” is also less precise than “larger size.” These slips do not prevent communication, but more accurate, natural phrasing would improve precision and formality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including the relative clause in “the gown I purchased … which was delivered” and the conditional sentence beginning “If this is not possible.” Most of the message remains easy to follow, and the request is expressed politely. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain: “I ordered … but upon receiving it, I discovered” shifts awkwardly between the item and the action, and “It” is incorrectly capitalised after the comma in “to make matters worse, It was.” The phrase “which is coming up by next month” also has an awkward time construction. Review clause connections, capitalisation after commas, and prepositions in time expressions to make the writing more consistently accurate.

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