Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction with clothing which I bought online two days ago. I was really excited for purchasing a medium size dress which is in brown color for a office party and it looked so elegant online. Moreover, it also has a bow at one of the shoulders.

I was really glad that I received it within two days. Unfortunately, when I opened that package, I found that dress in a different color that is dark orange color. I was really disappointed when I found that.

As I already told you that I ordered that dress for the office party which is on Tuesday and only two days left. I would be extremely grateful to you if you could replace the dress in brown color at your earliest convenience. Therefore, I can wear the same dress on the special day.

I look forward to hearing your prompt response.

Yours faithfully,

Ravneet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identified the purchase, described the issue with the color discrepancy, and explained the urgency regarding the upcoming office party. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. To improve, you could provide more specific details about the purchase, such as an order number or the date of purchase, to make the letter more professional and realistic. Overall, the task is fully addressed with a clear purpose maintained throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'Unfortunately' to link ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraph could be smoother. Using a wider variety of linking words or phrases would help improve the flow of the text. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the message.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my dissatisfaction' and 'at your earliest convenience' are well-chosen and appropriate for a formal complaint. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'for purchasing' instead of 'purchasing' or 'in brown color' instead of 'in brown'. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise descriptive adjectives or business-related terminology would elevate the quality of your writing to a higher band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The letter demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound, which ensures that your meaning is never in doubt. There are a few minor errors, such as 'a office party' (should be 'an office party') and 'that dress in a different color that is dark orange color' (which is slightly repetitive). These errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate a greater variety of complex grammatical structures with more consistent accuracy.

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

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