Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

Hope you are fine. I am writing you about that I bought the clothing online but I am not satisfied what you sent me. I ordered 2 pairs of 3 peace embroidered prets for birthday party of my brother. Birthday party is the celebration of someone happiness and is a enjoyable event. So, I ordered medium size prets which is mentioned on my order summary which will attached my email. When I received my order , there are large size prets rather than medium. I can not use them because of size problem. And Birthday party have to come in one or two days. I haven't enough time/ money to purchase another one's. I likes the stuff, embroidery and colours of the prets.Now, please replace them in medium size of prets as soon as possible. I am sending parcel back to you. When you will receive, please send it back to me due to coming birthday soon. I would like to thanks in advance for this kindness.

Thanks a lot

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all three bullet points: providing purchase details, describing the size error, and explaining the urgency of the birthday event. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The explanation of the birthday party as a 'celebration of someone happiness' is irrelevant to the task and detracts from the professional tone required in a formal letter. While the core requirements are met, the tone is inconsistent, shifting between formal and informal, which impacts the overall effectiveness of the communication. To improve, focus on keeping the content strictly relevant to the complaint and the request for a resolution.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter lacks clear paragraphing, which is essential for a formal letter. The ideas are presented in a single block, making the progression feel slightly disjointed. While there are some attempts at cohesive devices (e.g., 'So', 'And', 'Now'), they are often used in a simplistic or repetitive manner. The transition between the description of the problem and the request for a replacement is abrupt. To achieve a higher band, you should structure your letter into distinct paragraphs: one for the purchase details, one for the problem, and one for the solution/urgency.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several inaccuracies and awkward collocations. For example, '3 peace embroidered prets' is unclear, and 'Birthday party have to come' is an unnatural way to express urgency. The phrase 'thanks in advance for this kindness' is slightly formal but fits the context. There is a reliance on basic vocabulary, and some word choices are imprecise, such as 'stuff' instead of 'fabric' or 'material'. Expanding your range to include more precise business-related terminology would significantly improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('Birthday party have to come'), article usage ('the celebration of someone happiness'), and awkward sentence structures ('I am writing you about that I bought'). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the punctuation is inconsistent. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors would be highly beneficial.

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