Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-07

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction with the dress I have bought recently from your store.

I have bought a satin dress in a pink colour. It has a floral print on it which make this dress look elegant and classy. When I saw this dress in your store, I instantly liked it. I was looking for something unique for my ceremony and this dress was a perfect fit. Therefore, I purchased it.

When I showed this dress to my friends, they got disappointed. According to them, this dress does not look formal for a convocation ceremony. Also, all of them are planning to wear a black dress so this dress might look different.

Therefore, I would like to exchange this dress. Kindly, arrange a replacement at your earlier convenience as my ceremony is next week and I want to finalize my dress.

Waiting for a prompt response,

Kind Regards,

Iqbal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points: providing purchase details, describing the problem, and explaining the need for an urgent replacement. However, the development of the 'problem' is somewhat illogical. You state you liked the dress and it was a 'perfect fit,' but then claim you want to exchange it simply because your friends think it is not formal enough or because they are wearing black. This does not constitute a valid product defect or a standard reason for a company to provide a free replacement. To achieve a higher band, the problem should relate to the quality, size, or damage of the item, rather than personal preference or peer pressure.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore,' 'Also,' and 'When' are used to link ideas. However, the transition between the initial satisfaction with the dress and the sudden desire to exchange it is abrupt and lacks a strong logical connection. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall progression of information is easy to follow, though the reasoning within the second paragraph feels slightly disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some effective descriptive phrases like 'floral print' and 'elegant and classy.' However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'I have bought' and 'I purchased it' are functional but basic. There is an attempt to use more specific language, but it is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'at your earlier convenience,' which should be 'at your earliest convenience.' The word choice is sufficient to convey the message clearly, but it lacks the sophistication required for higher band scores.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'make this dress look' (should be 'makes') and 'I have bought' (should be 'I recently bought' or 'I purchased' as the action is completed). Punctuation is generally correct, and the tone is appropriate for a formal letter. While there are minor errors, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on consistent verb tense usage and subject-verb agreement to ensure the majority of sentences are error-free.

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

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