Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31

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 hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding the recent purchase from your online store.

Last Monday, I ordered a red polo shirt with a horse logo embroidered on its back from your store. It was a paid order and order number is 89FLA. I received my order this Friday and I am not happy with my purchase.

I ordered the medium size red polo, but your sales representative had sent me a large size in green colour. Also, the fabric has very poor quality, on website it was mentioned that it is made of 100% cotton, but the label on shirt is showing that it has only 40% cotton.

I do not want to keep this shirt because I think your administration has sent me a wrong order. I ordered the red shirt for my birthday, therefore, send me a new shirt as soon as possible with correct size and colour.

I extend my sincere appreciation for your consideration, and I anticipate your valued response at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully,

Adam Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response covers all three bullet points effectively. You provided the order details (number 89FLA), clearly described the issues regarding the incorrect item and the fabric quality, and explained the urgency due to your birthday. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the request for a replacement is well-stated. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail regarding the specific steps you would like the company to take, such as requesting a prepaid return label or a specific delivery timeline for the replacement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which makes the information easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices like 'Also' and 'therefore' to link ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect sentences more fluidly. For example, instead of starting sentences with 'I ordered' repeatedly, you could use transition words to show the relationship between the order details and the subsequent problems.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your points clearly. Phrases like 'express my dissatisfaction' and 'at your earliest convenience' are appropriate for a formal letter. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and repetitive phrasing. For instance, 'on website it was mentioned' is slightly unnatural; 'the website stated' would be better. Additionally, 'administration' is not the most precise word here; 'customer service' or 'dispatch department' would be more accurate. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise collocations related to retail and complaints would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and the meaning is always clear. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'on website it was mentioned' (missing an article) and 'the label on shirt is showing' (should be 'the label on the shirt shows'). You also have a slight error in 'your sales representative had sent me', where the past simple 'sent' would be more appropriate than the past perfect. Despite these small errors, your control of grammar is generally good, and the mistakes do not impede communication.

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

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