Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-25

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'm writing to express my dissatisfaction with my recent purchase of some traditional cloths from your website for my friend's wedding. I have been referred by my friend to try your new collection and after going through few reviews, I was really impressed.

Although the courier was delayed for two day, I was excited to open the parcel. However, when I received the parcel, it was not packed well and the color was totally different from what I have ordered. This disappointed me because I waited long and now I'm not left with any other options because the wedding is taking place next week.

Would you please replace the product as soon as possible? As I mentioned earlier I don't have enough time to shop online or walk in to any other stores. I have to travel to Canada to attend her wedding.

Thank you for your consideration.

Warm Regards,

Priyanka

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, described the issues with the packaging and color, and explained the urgency regarding the upcoming wedding in Canada. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To improve, you could provide more specific details about the purchase, such as an order number or the specific name of the clothing item, to make the letter feel more authentic and professional. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'However', and 'As I mentioned earlier' to link your ideas. To reach a higher band, ensure that your transitions between sentences are even smoother. For instance, the jump from the courier delay to the packaging issue could be connected more fluidly to improve the flow of the narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my dissatisfaction' and 'impressed' are used correctly. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'traditional cloths' (should be 'clothes') and 'walk in to any other stores' (should be 'visit other stores'). While these do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated collocations related to customer service would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound. There are a few minor errors, such as 'I have been referred by my friend' (should be 'My friend referred me' or 'I was referred by a friend') and 'delayed for two day' (should be 'days'). Additionally, 'I'm not left with any other options' is slightly unnatural in this context. Despite these slips, your meaning is always clear, and the errors do not cause difficulty for the reader.

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

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