Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
Dear d Mart store today I visited your website for buying cloth online for bye some clothes for my babies for its birthday celebration In my babies birthday celebration we are bye every year new cloths from your cloth center online but at this time I am un happy with your service and cloth quality. Theas cloths are not only cheap quality but also very poor in fabric also after wearing not look pretty, colour combination also not fine, and this time delevery partner give my parcel packing also damage it look like very dirty packing quality so I decided to return this cloth as soon as posible today my child 5 th birthday celebration so I need urgent basis replacement which make my babies birthday celebration happily and enjoy party with friends with new branded cloths. I know urgent delivery is not possible but I know you did it with prompt timing to get customer satisfaction thank you I am weting for my replacement thank you
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers all three bullet points: it mentions the purchase, describes the poor quality and damaged packaging, and explains the urgency due to a birthday. However, the development of these ideas is limited by significant language errors. The tone is inconsistent and often informal, which is not ideal for a formal letter of complaint. While the purpose is clear, the lack of paragraphing and the repetitive nature of the content make the communication less effective than it could be. To improve, ensure each bullet point is addressed in a distinct paragraph with a more professional tone.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter lacks paragraphing, which is a fundamental requirement for a formal letter. The text is presented as a single block, making it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are largely absent or misused, such as the repetitive use of 'and' to link clauses. There is no clear logical structure, and the transition between the complaint and the request for a replacement is abrupt. To improve, use clear paragraph breaks for each section of the letter and employ a wider range of linking words like 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'however' to connect ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. There are frequent errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'bye' instead of 'buy', 'Theas' instead of 'These', and 'posible' instead of 'possible'. The student relies on basic, often incorrect, vocabulary to describe the issues, such as 'cheap quality' and 'dirty packing'. There is little evidence of the ability to use less common lexical items or precise collocations. To improve, focus on learning standard business English phrases for complaints and ensure correct spelling of common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede readability. There are significant issues with verb tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. For example, 'In my babies birthday celebration we are bye every year' is grammatically incorrect. Punctuation is almost entirely absent, with run-on sentences making it difficult to identify where one thought ends and another begins. The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple, error-prone sentences. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, correct verb forms, and the proper use of full stops and commas.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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