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 Sie or Madam,

I hope this message finds you well. The purpose of my writing today is to complain regarding the recent purchase that I did from your company.

Last Sunday, I placed an online order via your official website. It was a pink floral dress with silver printing on it. My order number was [redacted phone] and Moreover, I paid the full price during the purchase.

I was over the moon to receive my package. However, when I finally opened it, my excitement flew away after looking at the color of dress. Instead of pink in color, I got a red colored gown. I was overwhelmed with my this unfortunate experience.

I ordered this particular dress for my sister's wedding. Since the color theme is pink for all the bridal family, receiving the exact same dress which I selected is necessary by the end of this month. I hope you would personally look after this matter at your earliest convenience.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Gurkirat Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided the order details, clearly described the issue with the color of the dress, and explained the urgency regarding the sister's wedding. 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 maintained a consistent tone throughout, and the letter is well-structured to meet the requirements of a formal request for a replacement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the introduction of the purchase to the problem and finally the request for action. You used cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Instead of', and 'Since' effectively to link your ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The flow is smooth, and the reader can easily follow the narrative of your experience and your subsequent request.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have a good range of vocabulary that is suitable for the task. Phrases like 'over the moon', 'at your earliest convenience', and 'official website' demonstrate a good command of English. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'my this unfortunate experience' (which is slightly unnatural) and 'the bridal family' (which should be 'the bride's family'). However, these do not impede communication. You have attempted to use more sophisticated language, which is appropriate for this level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are a few minor errors, such as the typo 'Sie' instead of 'Sir' in the salutation and 'the color of dress' (missing an article). Additionally, 'the purchase that I did' is slightly awkward; 'the purchase I made' would be more natural. Despite these minor slips, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and your meaning is always clear. The punctuation is generally accurate throughout the letter.

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