Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing this letter to express my concern regarding with my purchase within your company.

Few days before, I ordered a party wear dress, which is peach in coloured. The order number is [redacted phone]. When I received my order and opened up, I am not satisfied with the size because I order small in size ;however, I received larger one. Also, the colour of this dress is not showing exactly the same like an image.

First I thought to return this dress but after reading your company’s policy I got to know that I cannot get the refund. Therefore I have decided to replace this dress with the right size, which is smaller. For colour I want to replace with white.

Could I get my order as soon as possible ? The reason I have to attend my friend’s birthday party which is on 27th August. Thank you!

Looking forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Riya

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: providing purchase details, describing the problem, and explaining the urgency of the replacement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, while you mention the size and color issues, the explanation is brief. To reach a higher band, you could provide more detail about the discrepancy, such as the specific measurements or the exact nature of the color difference. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the reader understands exactly what you require.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'however', 'therefore', and 'also' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'First I thought to return this dress'. The flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'this dress') is always precise. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, which helps the reader follow your argument easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your needs clearly. You use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'order number', 'refund', and 'policy'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'concern regarding with my purchase' (should be 'regarding my purchase') and 'peach in coloured' (should be 'peach-colored'). You also use 'showing exactly the same like an image', which is not natural phrasing. To improve, focus on learning common collocations and ensuring that adjectives and nouns are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'Few days before' (should be 'A few days ago'), 'I order small in size' (should be 'I ordered a small size'), and 'I want to replace with white' (should be 'I would like to exchange it for a white one'). There are also minor punctuation issues, such as the spacing before the semicolon. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses and article usage, as these errors occur frequently.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.