Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-02

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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this related to purchase that i have made recently and i am completely dissatisfied with that product and it important for me to replace it urgently.

As a customer i have all the rights to complain regarding the product , The product that i have purchased was a skirt which has blue color in the picture it was perfect and looks classy that we can gift to our close friends but as soon as i received the purse and i feel the material that was not so good which described in online description .

The reason of replacement is, I have got this for my sister because her birthday is coming to next week and she is kind of fond of skirts and she has a huge collection of handbags but she has classy choice for skirts and she will definitely do not like this product and as a elder sister it is my responsibility of mine to gift her something nice that she can wear and show off in front of her friends.

I hope this complain you will take it seriously and replace it as fast as you can.

Yours sincerely,

Hp

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: purchase details, the problem, and the need for an urgent replacement. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The description of the problem is slightly confusing, as you mention a 'purse' when you previously stated you bought a 'skirt'. This inconsistency makes the nature of the complaint unclear. Additionally, the explanation for the urgency is quite informal and focuses heavily on personal anecdotes about your sister's collection of handbags rather than the professional necessity of the replacement. To improve, ensure your details are consistent and maintain a more formal, business-appropriate tone throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the flow within paragraphs is often hindered by run-on sentences and a lack of appropriate cohesive devices. For example, the third paragraph is one very long sentence that connects several unrelated ideas with 'and'. Using more varied linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'however' would improve the logical progression. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the sudden mention of a 'purse' in the second paragraph, which disrupts the coherence of the narrative regarding the skirt purchase.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and formal tone required for a complaint letter. Phrases like 'show off in front of her friends' are too informal for this context. There are also some word-choice errors, such as 'related to purchase' (should be 'related to a purchase') and 'classy choice' (which is slightly unnatural in this context). To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise, professional vocabulary, such as 'defective', 'discrepancy', or 'expedite', rather than relying on basic descriptive words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writing contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include missing articles ('a purchase', 'the product'), incorrect verb forms ('it important for me'), and punctuation errors, such as the lack of full stops between independent clauses. The sentence structure is often repetitive, relying heavily on 'and' to join ideas. To improve, focus on using full stops to separate distinct ideas and ensure subject-verb agreement. Proofreading for basic errors like 'i' instead of 'I' is also essential for a professional letter.

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

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