Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear sir/ma,

I am writing this letter to let you know I am dissatisfied with the clothes I purchased from your online store.

I ordered five pairs of navy-blue garments on Monday to be précised on October 15 which was delivered to me Tuesday October 16. It was delivered by a dispatched rider named Tobi.

In all honesty, those clothes were well packaged and has the same colour I opted for but two of the trousers have no zip. The zipper was open which will make the trouser not to fit.

I would like the trousers to be replaced as soon as possible because we are five attending an important event on Friday which will be inappropriate to leave without the other two people.

I hope my request is giving an urgent response.

Yours faithfully,

Yemmer.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers all three bullet points: purchase details, the problem, and the reason for urgency. However, the letter is under the 150-word minimum requirement, which significantly impacts the score. The ideas are present but lack sufficient development to fully satisfy the task requirements. For instance, the explanation regarding the urgent need for a replacement is somewhat confusingly phrased ('it will be inappropriate to leave without the other two people'). To improve, you should expand on your points with more descriptive language and ensure the tone remains consistently formal throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used to separate the different points of the task, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition between the delivery details and the description of the problem is abrupt. Improving the use of linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'as a result' would help to create a smoother flow between your ideas and improve the overall coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range expected at higher bands. You used some basic terms like 'clothes' and 'well packaged', which are functional but not sophisticated. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'dispatched rider' (usually just 'delivery driver') and 'to be précised' (which is an incorrect usage of the word). To reach a higher band, focus on using more specific collocations related to retail and customer service, such as 'defective items', 'faulty merchandise', or 'expedited shipping'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity, such as 'those clothes were well packaged and has the same colour' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'which will make the trouser not to fit' (incorrect phrasing). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence structure in the final paragraph is awkward. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that your complex sentences are constructed accurately. Reviewing basic verb tenses and pluralization will also help increase your accuracy.

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

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