Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-13
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 5.5)
Dear Amazon,
i ordered the pair of shoes from your website last week and it arrived to my home yesterday, it was a sports shoe pair with special sole for my athletic activities. however, the product is all good but the size of the shoes is two number low than my orignal shoe size and one side of the left shoes is also little bit damaged and i have my practice sessions at playground everyday , but i dont have any shoes right now to use and i was waiting for these shoes and yesterday i was very dissapointed after looking at the shoes size and condition. Moreover, i have group competetion next week and i need new shoes for that competetion . so i want a new pair of shoes within 2 days for my practice sessions and competetion. that will help me a lot if you deliver my shoes as soon as possible.
Sincerly,
Kuwerinder Singh.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all three bullet points: purchase details, the problem, and the urgency of the replacement. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. While you mention the size issue and the damage, the explanation for the urgency is repetitive and lacks a professional tone. To improve, ensure you provide specific details such as an order number or the exact model name, and structure your request for a replacement more formally. The tone is generally appropriate for a complaint letter, but it could be more persuasive and structured to better meet the requirements of a formal business correspondence.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is written as a single block of text, which significantly impacts the coherence. In formal letter writing, it is essential to use clear paragraphing to separate the introduction, the body (the problem and the request), and the closing. While you use some cohesive devices like 'however' and 'moreover', the flow is hindered by the lack of paragraph breaks and the tendency to use long, run-on sentences. Using more varied linking words and organizing your ideas into distinct paragraphs would greatly improve the logical progression of your letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. You use basic terms like 'all good' and 'little bit damaged', which are somewhat informal. There are also spelling errors such as 'orignal', 'dissapointed', 'competetion', and 'Sincerly'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations related to retail and complaints, such as 'defective', 'incorrect sizing', or 'expedited shipping'. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you express your dissatisfaction more effectively and professionally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures and contains frequent grammatical errors. There are issues with punctuation, such as the lack of capital letters for 'i' and the misuse of commas to join independent clauses, creating run-on sentences. Additionally, there are errors in article usage ('the pair of shoes', 'the left shoes') and verb tense consistency. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of complex sentence structures and proofreading for basic errors in capitalization, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation. Improving your control over these basic elements is necessary for a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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