Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-27

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 writing to express my dissatisfaction on my recent online purchase through your website on April 15th. I heard a lot about your stuff quality and reasonable prices through some of my friends. Therefore, I ordered some t-shirts last week for my college wearing. I was extremely excited and genuinely happy to get my parcel on Aril 25th as per the confirmation email.

However, upon arrival, I was really disappointed because of the sizes, which were too large for me. I ordered small size after matching my exact size to the description given below the picture.

I would like get a replacement within two weeks. Because my college classes will be starting, and I have not buy other clothes due to shortage of money. If there is any particular criteria that I need to follow to return these product, let me know as soon as possible. So that, this issue get solved immediately.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Your sincerely,

Rahul

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 (April 15th, t-shirts), described the problem (sizes were too large despite following the size guide), and explained the urgency (college classes starting and financial constraints). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, fulfilling the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'However' and 'Therefore', to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by minor grammatical errors that affect the transition between sentences. Paragraphing is used correctly, and the overall structure is easy to follow, which is sufficient for a clear progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my dissatisfaction' and 'confirmation email' are appropriate for the context. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'college wearing' (should be 'college wear') and 'these product' (should be 'these products'). While you do not use a wide range of sophisticated or less common lexical items, the vocabulary used is functional and sufficient to communicate your needs effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I writing' (missing auxiliary verb), 'I have not buy' (incorrect tense), and 'this issue get solved' (missing modal verb). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede the reader's understanding of your request. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of verb tenses, particularly when discussing past actions and future requirements.

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

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