Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-24

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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this letter finds you well. I recently made a purchase in your website and I was not particularly satisfied with the product.

I ordered a Puma jeans which was delivered on 15th August with the receipt number [redacted phone]. The mode of payment was cash on delivery.

When I opened the package, I found that the brand of the jean was not the same with I ordered. It was from a company called Adidas. The fit of the jean was different despite the size is the same. I wanted carrot fit but the jean which I received was skinny fit. Additionally, the zipper is not working properly and often getting stuck in the middle.

I request you for a quick replacement due to the fact that I have a wedding to attend next week in which my presence is mandatory.

I hope you are taking necessary action at your earliest convenience

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: providing purchase details, describing the product issues, and explaining the urgency of the replacement. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, ensuring the reader understands the nature of the problem and the desired outcome. The response is well-structured, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail regarding the specific steps you would like the company to take, such as requesting a prepaid return label or a specific timeframe for the replacement to arrive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear progression from the introduction to the details of the purchase, the specific problems, and the final request. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate these distinct points. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'due to the fact that' are used to link ideas, though the flow could be improved with a wider variety of linking words. Referencing is generally clear, although the transition between the description of the jeans and the request for a replacement could be smoother to enhance the overall coherence of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task, allowing for clear communication of the issues. You use specific terms like 'receipt number', 'mode of payment', and 'carrot fit'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'made a purchase in your website' (should be 'on') and 'brand of the jean was not the same with I ordered' (should be 'as the one I ordered'). Expanding your range of vocabulary to include more precise descriptive adjectives or formal business terminology would help elevate the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'I ordered a Puma jeans' should be 'a pair of Puma jeans', and 'despite the size is the same' should be 'despite the size being the same'. Additionally, there is a missing verb in 'I hope you are taking' (should be 'I hope you will take') and a missing full stop at the end of the final sentence. These errors do not impede communication but occur frequently enough to limit the score.

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

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