Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am Janki Vekariya. I am writing this letter to express my unsatisfaction regarding my recent purchase.

Let me explain to you in detail the situation. Actually, last week when I was browsing your website, I saw a very pretty dress and immediately decided to order this for my 6-year-old nephew. Usually, she wears medium-sized clothes. And as a result, I ordered a medium-sized yellow dress.

I would like to inform you that it was delivered today on time, but it was a different size. I got an XL-sized dress, which I was about to give her today as a birthday gift. Consequently, I feel very disappointed.

I would be grateful if you could replace it with the correct size. Finally, I kindly request you to deliver it as soon as possible. I look forward to your response.

Yours Sincerely,

Janki

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: purchase details, the problem, and the need for an urgent replacement. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which impacts the overall task completion. While the tone is appropriate for a formal letter, the development of ideas is somewhat brief. To improve, you should expand on the impact of the error—for example, mentioning the specific event or the inconvenience caused by the delay—to ensure the letter meets the length requirement and provides a more comprehensive explanation of the situation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from the purchase to the problem and finally the requested solution. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Actually', 'Consequently', and 'Finally' to link your sentences. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences feels more natural rather than mechanical. Overall, the structure is sound and supports the reader's understanding.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

Your vocabulary is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though it is somewhat limited. Phrases like 'express my unsatisfaction' (which should be 'dissatisfaction') and 'very pretty dress' are functional but basic. You demonstrate an ability to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'browsing', 'delivered', and 'replace'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your range of adjectives and formal verbs will help you convey your message with greater sophistication and clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good grasp of basic sentence structures, and your meaning is consistently clear. There are some minor errors, such as 'unsatisfaction' instead of 'dissatisfaction' and the slightly awkward phrasing 'it was delivered today on time, but it was a different size'. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences, which is appropriate for this task. To achieve a higher score, aim to incorporate more varied complex structures, such as conditional sentences (e.g., 'If you could send the correct size, I would be very grateful') to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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