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 arrange a quick replacement for my recent online order of American Eagle's blue jeans received from Amazon.ca on July 21st, 2026.

As I mentioned the order was originally for blue jeans but the parcel which I received on August 1st, 2026 was a black jeans. Moreover, the size which I asked for was "S" (Small) and this jeans is "XS" (Extra Small) size which definitely not comfortable to put on. It seems completely a delivery mistake and unexpected delay in shipping make it worse.

I ordered this for my Birthday Party on coming Saturday, 2 days later and this order was supposed to delivered by 25th July but, unfortunately, it was delayed and eventually received on August 1st. Because, I am very close to the date on which I need this product so I would like to request you to expedite the shipping and return on priority basis so that I could use it as per my plan.

Hope you understand my situation and do the needful as soon as possible.

Thanks and regards

Ashi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided clear details of the purchase, described the specific errors regarding color and size, and explained the urgency of the situation due to your upcoming birthday party. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. You have maintained a consistent focus on the task requirements throughout the response, ensuring that the reader understands exactly what went wrong and what action is required.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose: the introduction states the purpose, the second paragraph details the problem, and the third explains the urgency. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'because', and 'unfortunately' to link your ideas. However, the flow could be improved with a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure is easy to follow, which meets the requirements for a coherent response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your meaning clearly. You use specific terms like 'expedite', 'priority basis', and 'parcel'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'a black jeans' (should be 'a pair of black jeans') and 'do the needful' (which is an idiom often considered non-standard in international English). While these do not impede communication, they prevent the vocabulary from reaching a higher band. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and using more precise collocations would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'this jeans is' (should be 'these jeans are') and 'was supposed to delivered' (should be 'was supposed to be delivered'). Additionally, there are some punctuation and article errors, such as 'a black jeans' and 'the size which I asked for'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice constructions.

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

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