Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction about a long dress that I purchased recently and to request your assistance in resolving this matter.

I bought a pink long dress from your online store in 5 July and it was delivered three days later. Unfortunately, just after a week, it started fading its colour gradually. Additionally, there is also appearance of the lint on the surface of the dress. Despite following the instructions for washing mentioned on user manual, the problem has continued.

I bought this dress especially for my anniversary which is on 12 July. I have always regarded your company as reliable. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could either provide a full refund or a replacement at your earliest convenience. I have attached the copy of the purchased receipt with this email along with the photographs showing the condition of the item.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Ashu Berwal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided clear details of the purchase, described the specific issues with the dress (fading and lint), and explained the urgency regarding your anniversary. The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. You have fully satisfied the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the introduction to the problem, the justification for urgency, and finally the requested resolution. You have used cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'Despite', and 'Therefore' effectively to link your sentences. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the message.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal complaint. Phrases like 'express my dissatisfaction', 'resolving this matter', and 'at your earliest convenience' are well-chosen and natural. There are minor issues with collocation, such as 'started fading its colour' (better: 'began to fade') and 'appearance of the lint' (better: 'pilling' or 'lint had appeared'). However, these do not impede communication and the vocabulary is sufficient for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'in 5 July' (should be 'on 5 July') and 'attached the copy of the purchased receipt' (should be 'a copy of the purchase receipt'). Despite these small errors, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and sentence structure is strong enough to convey your message clearly and professionally.

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

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