Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06

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 to express my dissatisfaction with the recent order that I purchased from Amazon online website during the Black Friday sale.

To begin with, I ordered a pair of white colored cotton shirts. One main reasons for this purchase is the products were on sale and I would like to pair them with my blue jeans for my brother's house warming ceremony. I placed the order on 21st November, It was delivered on 23rd November at 5 pm. Moreover, the order was placed from my prime account to acquire the free shipping and eliminate the late deliveries. Additionally, I am providing the order id: [redacted phone] and transaction id: [redacted phone] for your reference.

After opening the package, I understood that the products were misplaced and I received a pair of brown colored leather shirts from a different brand. In addition to that, I tried to pair them with my blue jeans and I realized that the shirts are of lower size than that I ordered.

As a result, I would like to request you to provide a replacement at your earliest convenience because I though of pairing it for an event. Additionally, the delay would result in changing my entire outfit of the event, unfortunately it would also cost me more. Simultaneously, if you need any additional information, please feel free to reach out to me at [redacted phone].

I would appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Raj kumar Pratap

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task effectively. You provided clear details of the purchase, described the error regarding the product type and size, and explained the urgency of the replacement due to the upcoming event. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, ensure that all details provided are logically consistent; for instance, the term 'leather shirts' is slightly unusual, which might confuse the reader, but the overall message remains clear and the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument. You have used a range of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'As a result' to link your sentences and paragraphs. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the referencing (e.g., 'this matter', 'the order') is clear throughout the text, ensuring that the reader can easily track the information provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. You successfully use terms like 'dissatisfaction', 'transaction id', and 'earliest convenience'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'lower size' instead of 'smaller size' and the slightly odd collocation 'leather shirts'. While these do not impede communication, they prevent the text from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more natural collocations and precise adjectives. Your spelling is accurate throughout, and you have managed to convey your frustration in a professional manner, which is essential for this type of correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'One main reasons' (should be 'One of the main reasons') and 'I though of pairing it' (should be 'I thought of pairing it'). Additionally, there is a comma splice in the sentence 'I placed the order on 21st November, It was delivered...', which should be separated by a full stop or a semicolon. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not significantly interfere with the reader's understanding of your request.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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