Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-09

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 6.0)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally express dissatisfaction with the jacket I purchased from your website.

To begin with, when the jacket arrived and I tried later on same day , the jacket has a small hole in it, and it was clearly seen from the back, in addition the jacket’s collar was also loose and the colour was different as seen on the website and when I want to return the jacket, there was no any option of return the product and according to your policy, I can return the jacket within a month and get full refund, and it has been only 5 days I bought this jacket. Moreover, such shortcomings are unacceptable and have caused significant inconvenience.

In the light above, I would appreciate it if you could take immediate steps to rectify this matter. I would also expect refund or replacement compensation.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours faithfully.

Fateh Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points: providing purchase details, describing the defects, and explaining the need for a replacement. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. While you mention the hole and the collar, the explanation for why you need a replacement 'urgently' is missing; you mention that the situation is inconvenient, but you do not explain why it is urgent (e.g., for a specific event). The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the structure could be more balanced to ensure each requirement is fully explored.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, starting with the purpose of the email, moving to the specific problems, and concluding with the requested action. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'in addition', and 'Moreover'. However, some sentences are overly long and run-on, such as the second paragraph, which makes the flow feel slightly cluttered. Paragraphing is present, but the middle section is quite dense. Using more varied transition words and breaking up long, complex sentences would improve the overall readability and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'formally express dissatisfaction', 'shortcomings', and 'rectify'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'no any option of return' (should be 'no option to return') and 'colour was different as seen' (should be 'different from what was seen'). The vocabulary is functional but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on more natural collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help enhance your lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. For instance, 'when the jacket arrived and I tried later on same day, the jacket has a small hole' contains tense inconsistencies and missing articles. There are also punctuation issues, such as the comma placement before 'in addition' and the lack of a clear subject-verb agreement in some clauses. While the meaning remains clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tenses.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.