Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-22

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,

I am writing this email to bring an important issue to your attention. Recently, I ordered a dress from your website for my convocation ceremony which is on the 5th September. It took 5 business days to arrive and I eagerly waited for it. On top of that, I was very delighted upon its arrival but after I tried it on myself, I was extremely disappointed as its size was very small. Instead of shipping me a large sized dress your company sent me a medium one.

It really broke my heart as my graduation ceremony is just around the corner. I do not have a plenty of time to select and order a new dress so I respectfully request you to replace it and send me a new dress as soon as possible so I can wear it on my special day. I would really appreciate if you can review my request on urgent basis.

Thank you

Komal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided details of the purchase (the dress), described the problem (incorrect size), and explained the urgency (the upcoming convocation). The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that the details are slightly more specific; for example, including an order number or the specific name of the dress would add a layer of realism and professionalism. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader understands exactly what is required.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear progression from the introduction of the issue to the description of the problem and finally the requested action. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Instead of' and 'as' to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is somewhat limited; the entire body of the letter is presented as one block. Dividing the letter into distinct paragraphs—one for the purchase details/problem and one for the request for a replacement—would improve the structure and make the letter easier to read.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using phrases like 'bring an important issue to your attention' and 'respectfully request'. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'I do not have a plenty of time', which should be 'I do not have plenty of time' or 'I do not have much time'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating more precise, topic-specific vocabulary would help elevate the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing this email to bring an important issue to your attention' and 'I would really appreciate if you can review my request'. There are a few grammatical slips, such as 'on urgent basis' (should be 'on an urgent basis') and 'tried it on myself' (which is slightly unnatural; 'tried it on' is sufficient). Despite these minor errors, your meaning is always clear, and the punctuation is generally accurate throughout the letter.

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

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