Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-28

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with my latest purchase from your store Libaha in Westwood mall, Neopolise. I am going attend a convocation ceremony of my brother this weekend. As a result, I visited your store yesterday and bought red gown, which was not on sale. It was quite expensive though I paid it through my debit card.

Unfortunately, when I arrived home and showed it to my sister, we found out black stain at the back side of the dress. I was in a rush at store. Consequently, I didn't try it and bought damaged piece. The dress is costly as well as I am unable to wear it for the occasion.

As the event will be on Saturday morning, I really need replacement of the same kind or refund when I visit your store tomorrow. I have an original receipt with me.

I eagerly anticipate a positive response from you on this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Julia Menon

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided details of the purchase, clearly described the defect (a black stain), and explained the urgency of the situation regarding your brother's convocation. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the purchase details and the store location is slightly more natural, as the current phrasing feels a bit abrupt. Overall, the task is fully completed with a clear purpose and relevant supporting details.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'As a result', 'Unfortunately', and 'Consequently' to link your ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is smoother. For instance, the transition between the purchase details and the description of the problem is functional but could be more sophisticated. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall progression of ideas is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, such as 'dissatisfaction', 'convocation ceremony', and 'anticipate'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'paid it through my debit card' (should be 'paid for it with my debit card') and 'bought damaged piece' (missing an article). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on more natural collocations and articles will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I am going attend' (missing 'to'), 'at store' (missing 'the'), and 'found out black stain' (missing an article). These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to article usage (a/the) and prepositional phrases. Your control over basic sentence structures is good, but increasing the accuracy of your complex sentences will be key to moving up the band scale.

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