Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-24

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 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to apprise you of the facts that I recently purchased some apparel from your online store. However, I am not satisfied with the experience. I bought four shirts and two jeans on 24th March and my total bill was $250.

Ever since I started using your shopping website, I never faced any problem until this happened. The apparel I received were old and used. Additionally, one of the jean was ripped from inseams. Since the clothes were not of adequate quality, I requested a refund immediately. However, I was told that these items were on the final sale and as per the company guidelines, a refund is not feasible.

Would you be kind enough to look into this matter? Since, a refund is not possible, I would like to request a replacement. Moreover, I would also like to request you to expedite the process as I have bought these outfits for my college fest, which is starting next week.

Hoping for a prompt consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Achin Pal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly provided the purchase details (date and total cost), described the specific problems (old/used condition and a ripped seam), and explained the urgency regarding the upcoming college fest. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. You have fully satisfied the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which makes the letter easy to follow. You used cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'However', and 'Moreover' to link your sentences and paragraphs effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is coherent. There is a natural flow throughout the text, and the transition between the initial complaint and the request for a replacement is handled smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'apprise', 'apparel', 'feasible', and 'expedite'. These choices are appropriate for a formal letter. There are a few minor collocation issues, such as 'one of the jean' (should be 'jeans') and 'the facts that' (which is slightly unnatural). However, these do not impede communication. The vocabulary is sufficiently varied and precise enough to convey your message clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally strong. There are a few minor slips, such as 'the apparel I received were' (should be 'was' as 'apparel' is an uncountable noun) and 'Since, a refund is not possible' (the comma after 'Since' is unnecessary). These are minor errors that do not affect the clarity of your writing. Your punctuation is generally accurate, and the overall grammatical control is good.

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