Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-11

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 Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding a straight fit jean ,which I purchased 2 weeks before from this company's online website.

I bought a blue color straight fit jean on 12th may to wear on my sister's wedding. The jean's size is medium with a bright blue color evenly spread. I paid $60 for the purchase including the delivery fee.

When i opened the package , I was extremely shocked! The color I ordered and the color I received was completely different. Moreover, the description about the jean's on the website was completely different from the product I got . In addition, there is a big hole in one of the sides of this shipped jeans.

Would it be possible for you to arrange a replacement urgently because I have to attend one of my friend's graduation ceremony 2 weeks from now. I have been searching for this specific jeans since 2 months before . So I really appreciate your time and effort would taken to solve this issue.

I look forward to hearing a positive response from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

kee.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You provided clear details of the purchase, such as the date, price, and item type. The problem is described effectively, highlighting both the color discrepancy and the physical damage. Furthermore, the urgency for a replacement is justified by the upcoming graduation ceremony. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint, and the purpose is clear throughout. To reach a higher band, ensure that the details provided are slightly more cohesive and that the request for a replacement is linked more fluidly to the description of the problem.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'So', to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes a bit mechanical. For instance, the transition between the description of the product and the complaint could be smoother. Additionally, the paragraphing is generally effective, but ensure that the opening and closing salutations are clearly separated from the body text. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the letter maintains a consistent focus on the issue at hand.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dissatisfaction', 'discrepancy', and 'replacement'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as '2 weeks before' instead of 'two weeks ago' and 'the description about the jean's' (incorrect pluralization/possessive). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that plural forms and possessives are used correctly in a formal context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and article usage (e.g., 'the color I ordered and the color I received was' should be 'were', and 'the jean's size' is awkward). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some spacing issues before commas. The majority of your sentences are understandable, but the frequency of these minor errors suggests that you need to pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage when describing past events.

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

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