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/Madam,

Hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to express my disappointment about an online purchase that I did last week.

Last week I was scrolling an online shopping app for buying new clothes and I saw that your store had short-time sale on clothes then I quickly ordered two pair of jeans, three tops and one black light jacket for wearing in winters. I was really excited and waiting for my new clothes.

I received my parcel after five days I ordered.

However, all my excitement turned into disappointment. When I tried all clothes, I was feeling very sad because jeans were very loose on me and tops were also in big size only the jacket is properly fitting on me. Both jeans and tops are in different sizes, but I ordered in medium size.

I am flying to India after two weeks, so I request you to replace all these cloths with suitable sizes as soon as possible.

Thanks

Poonam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly identified the purchase, described the sizing issues with the jeans and tops, and provided a valid reason for the urgency (your upcoming trip to India). The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To improve, ensure that you provide more specific details about the purchase, such as an order number or the specific date of purchase, to make the letter more realistic and professional. Overall, the task is fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the purpose of the letter to the details of the problem and finally the requested action. Paragraphing is used, though the structure could be improved by separating the description of the problem from the request for a replacement more clearly. Cohesive devices are present but somewhat basic (e.g., 'However', 'so'). To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences feels more natural and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my disappointment' and 'properly fitting' are effective. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'short-time sale' (should be 'limited-time sale') and 'scrolling an online shopping app' (should be 'scrolling through'). Additionally, 'cloths' is used incorrectly; you mean 'clothes' or 'garments'. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise terms related to retail and customer service would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'purchase that I did' (should be 'made'), 'two pair of jeans' (should be 'pairs'), and 'in big size' (should be 'the wrong size' or 'too large'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but some sentences are slightly clunky. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of plural nouns. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures would also help demonstrate better control.

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

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