Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-18

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 Sir,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding my recent purchase from your website on August 15. Hence, received my order in two days at my door step, but left me dissatisfied.

I made an order for two leather jackets in brown colour with the order number #[redacted phone]. I was excited before opening the box, however it made me sad because I got both of the items in black colour.

Furthermore, it is important for me to get a replacement for the pieces as soon as possible, because I need them for my school farewell party. I hope you will look into this matter with a sense of urgency and send me a replacement at your earliest convenience.

I am hoping to hear from you soon.

Regards,

Gurmeet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: purchase details, the problem, and the need for a replacement. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which limits the development of ideas. While the tone is appropriate for a formal complaint, the brevity prevents a fully developed explanation of the situation. To improve, you should expand on the details of the purchase or the impact of the error to ensure you meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the task. The use of linking words such as 'however', 'furthermore', and 'hence' helps to guide the reader through the text. However, the transition in the first paragraph ('Hence, received my order...') is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. The overall structure is sound, but the cohesion could be improved by using more varied and natural linking phrases to connect ideas more smoothly between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be communicated clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'dissatisfaction', 'replacement', and 'urgency'. However, there are some unnatural collocations and word choices, such as 'at my door step' (should be 'at my doorstep') and 'made an order' (better expressed as 'placed an order'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise language to describe the situation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors. For example, 'Hence, received my order' lacks a subject, and 'I got both of the items in black colour' is slightly informal and clunky. There are also issues with article usage and sentence construction. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the overall fluency. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence completeness would significantly improve your score.

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

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