Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12

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 or Madam,

I regret to inform you that my recent experience with your service was highly unsatisfactory regarding online shopping. So I bought some clothes from your website but the product was not good and highly disappointment from the company.

So I purchased some clothes through your company website and it was a shirt and pants that I ordered. Upon receiving the item, I noticed that the product was damaged and it was not the correct size that I ordered and delivery of the item was delay for no reason from your company. It was a big mistake from your company.

I request a full replacement of product as your earliest convenience because my expectation was high from your company however, you were not fulfill my expectation also product was not in a good condition. So please take immediate steps to rectify this matter.

I trust this matter will be handled with urgency and professionalism. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Jeel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: it provides details of the purchase, describes the problems (damage, incorrect size, and delay), and explains the need for an urgent replacement. However, the development of these points is somewhat repetitive. For example, the purchase is mentioned in the first and second paragraphs, and the dissatisfaction is restated multiple times without adding new information. To reach a higher band, ensure each paragraph introduces a distinct aspect of the task rather than repeating the same complaints. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. The word 'So' is used as a sentence starter twice, which is informal and lacks variety. Additionally, the transition between the description of the problem and the request for a replacement could be smoother. While the overall progression is clear, the reliance on simple conjunctions and repetitive sentence starters limits the flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'product was not good' and 'big mistake' are quite basic. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'highly disappointment' (should be 'a great disappointment') and 'at your earliest convenience' (which is used correctly, but the surrounding context is weak). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the message, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility or sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that affect the fluency of the writing. For instance, 'delivery of the item was delay' should be 'was delayed', and 'you were not fulfill my expectation' should be 'you did not fulfill my expectations'. The sentence structures are mostly simple or compound, with limited use of complex structures. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors in verb tense and word form prevents the text from achieving a higher score. More attention to subject-verb agreement and tense consistency is needed.

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

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