Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to complain about traditional suit that I bought last week. I am randomly visiting your shopping site and I found pastel color suit that is with duptta. I was so excited to wear that. I ordered in 14 September. Main issue is that, this suit not the same color that I ordered as well as duptta also damaged from one side. I can not wear this at all.

I bought this suit because of Diwali party. I am planning to wear this suit for that event which is held in next week.My all friends is going to wear traditional cloths. I very disappoint with your service. I just just want you to take care of this problem and give me the same piece that I ordered otherwise I will post a review on your site. I hoping to hear from you as soon as possible.

sincerely

Parveen Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three required points: you identify the suit and purchase date, explain that its colour differs from what you ordered and that the dupatta is damaged, and connect the replacement request to an upcoming Diwali party. The urgency is clear, and asking for “the same piece that I ordered” gives the company a practical remedy. This meets the task well, with some elements more fully covered than others: the purchase details are brief, and the reason for urgency could be more explicit about why a replacement must arrive before the event. To strengthen the letter further, include an order number or clearer product details and state a specific deadline for receiving the replacement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a generally sensible order: purchase, problems, reason for urgency, and requested action. This makes the main message understandable. However, the ideas are crowded into one paragraph, and some links between them feel abrupt—for example, the move from the damaged item to “I bought this suit because of Diwali party.” The repeated “I just just” also interrupts the flow, while the closing is not clearly separated from the request. Use short paragraphs for the purchase and complaint, then the urgency and requested solution. Linking phrases such as “Because the event is next week” would make the relationship between the problem and urgency clearer without relying on repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the complaint and its context, including “pastel color,” “damaged,” “traditional,” and “replacement” (through your request for the same item). Some choices are imprecise or unnatural, however, and they reduce the clarity and polish expected at this level. For instance, “randomly visiting your shopping site” does not naturally describe finding an item, and “I very disappoint” uses the wrong form. There are also spelling or word-form issues such as “duptta” and “cloths.” Aim for accurate customer-service expressions and check spelling, word forms, and collocations; this will make your message sound more precise and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Your message includes both simple statements and attempts to connect ideas, such as “I bought this suit because of Diwali party,” so there is some variety in sentence structure. However, errors in basic sentence patterns and agreement are frequent enough to make the writing less controlled. Examples include “this suit not the same color” (missing a verb), “My all friends is going” (incorrect word order and agreement), and “I hoping to hear” (missing an auxiliary). Articles and tense forms also need attention, as in “about traditional suit” and “I ordered in 14 September.” Practise complete subject–verb sentences, article use, and consistent verb forms, then proofread punctuation and spacing between sentences.

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

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