Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to express my disappointment with a recent purchase and request a replacement as soon as possible.

Last week, I ordered a pink casual dress from your website, in size large. Although I received the package at time, I was disappointed to find that dress was torn already. there is a huge tear at the sleeve and waist area and it is a wrong size . Unfortunately, the dress is not suitable to wear at all.

I would appreciate it if you could please replace the damaged piece of clothing with new one of same color but different size. I have an important family event next week and intended to wear the same dress on that occasion as I ordered it for this event. I would be grateful if you could make the replacement within few days.

Please let me know if you need any order number or any confirmation receipt.

I look forward to your prompt response.

with regards,

Harpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: providing purchase details, describing the damage, and explaining the urgency. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. The purpose is clear from the beginning, and the request for a replacement is well-supported by the mention of a family event. The response is well-focused, and all parts of the prompt are covered adequately. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific details, such as the order number or the date of purchase, to make the request more professional and actionable.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different points. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Unfortunately', and 'I would appreciate it if' are used to link ideas effectively. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of transition words to connect sentences more fluidly. The referencing is generally clear, though some minor improvements in sentence-to-sentence transitions would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and conveys the message clearly. You used relevant terms like 'disappointment', 'replacement', and 'damaged piece of clothing'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'at time' instead of 'on time' and 'with new one' instead of 'with a new one'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. The range is adequate for a formal letter, but more sophisticated vocabulary would help elevate the 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 slips, such as missing articles ('find that dress', 'with new one') and minor punctuation errors (e.g., 'there is' should be capitalized). The sentence 'I intended to wear the same dress on that occasion as I ordered it for this event' is a good attempt at a complex structure. Focusing on article usage and subject-verb agreement will help reduce these minor errors and improve your accuracy.

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

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