Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-27

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 to express my dissatisfaction with a recent purchase. I made on your website and to request an urgent replacement.

On July 26th, I ordered a three piece navy blue suit for an upcoming event. The item arrived yesterday afternoon within the promised delivery window and fabric quality is also excellent.

However, there is significant issue with the sizing. Although, I ordered a standard medium size based on your online size chart, the sizing of the garments is completely mismatched. The jacket is exceptionally tight across the shoulders and sleeves are too short, making it impossible to button up comfortably.

Conversely, the trousers are too much large around the waist and drag on floor. Consequently, the suit is entirely unwearable in it current state.

I require a replacement urgently because I am scheduled to attend my sisters wedding next Tuesday. Since I am flying to out this coming Sunday morning, I do not have time to look for an alternative outfit locally.

Please you arrange for the correct sizes in two to three days and shipping courier to my address immediately.

I look forward to your prompt response and swift action.

Yours faithfully,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly provided the purchase details, described the specific sizing issues with the suit, and explained the urgency regarding your sister's wedding. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint, and the purpose of the communication is clear throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. You maintained a consistent, professional tone from start to finish, which is essential for this type of correspondence. No parts of the task were omitted, and the information provided is sufficient to allow the company to understand and resolve the issue.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph serving a clear purpose. You use appropriate paragraphing to separate the introduction, the description of the problem, the justification for urgency, and the call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Conversely', and 'Consequently' are used effectively to link ideas and show relationships between sentences. The flow of information is smooth, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. There is a clear sense of structure, and the referencing is consistent throughout the text, ensuring that the reader can easily track the narrative of your complaint.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal complaint, such as 'dissatisfaction', 'mismatched', 'exceptionally', and 'unwearable'. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and fits the context well, there are minor collocation errors, such as 'too much large' (should be 'too large' or 'much too large') and 'flying to out' (should be 'flying out'). Despite these minor slips, the range is sufficient to convey your meaning with precision. You successfully use topic-specific language related to clothing and retail, which enhances the professional quality of the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are some minor grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'I made on your website' (which should be joined to the previous sentence) and the awkward phrasing in 'Please you arrange for the correct sizes'. Additionally, there is a minor error in 'drag on floor' (missing an article: 'the floor'). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the majority of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound. Your control over punctuation is generally good, and the overall structure of the letter is well-maintained.

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