Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter with regards to the cloths I bought from your online store last week Friday. I bought a total of five items. That is, three shirts and two trousers. My receipt number is AZ100BD, and I paid via a credit card.

I have a complaint about the three shirts. While I was making selection online, the shirt sizes that was displayed did not tally with what was delivered to me. All the three shirts are too small. I chose extra-large for all of them, but what I have sent to me are all small sizes.

I definitely need a replacement because they do not fit me at all. I would want that to be as quick as possible because I will be using them to attend my sister's wedding next tomorrow. please, I don't want to be disappointed.

Thank you in anticipation of your swift response and providing solution to the situation.

Yours faithfully,

Egole Clement.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided the purchase details (receipt number and items), clearly described the sizing issue, and explained the urgency regarding the upcoming wedding. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail regarding the specific items or the desired outcome (e.g., a refund or a direct exchange). However, the response is fully functional and meets all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'While', 'because', and 'Therefore' (implied). To improve, try to use a wider range of linking words to connect your sentences more fluidly. For example, instead of starting sentences with 'I', you could vary the sentence structure to improve the flow between ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. Terms like 'receipt number', 'replacement', and 'anticipation' are used correctly. There are some minor errors, such as 'cloths' instead of 'clothes' and 'next tomorrow' which is not standard English. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise word choice. Expanding your vocabulary to include more formal business-related collocations would help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the shirt sizes that was displayed' (should be 'were displayed') and 'what I have sent to me' (should be 'what was sent to me'). Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and passive voice construction. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will help you move into the higher band range.

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