Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03

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 hope this letter finds you well. I am reaching out you to mention a problem regarding my purchase.

I ordered some dresses last week through your website. It included a blue jeans, two tops, one over coat and a handbag. I received the parcel enthusiastically on time. Soon, I was disappointed because the items were not up to the standard that as mentioned in the pictures. The size of jeans was long, the color of tops was not according to the photo and was also dim, the overcoat was ripped and the zip of handbag was also hard.

Please replace these items as soon as possible because I have to attend an important event in the next week. Otherwise, refund my money if replacement will take long time. I have purchased many times through your website but this is the first time that I am disappointed. Kindly, solve my problem promptly, so that I could make preparations for my function.

Yours sincerely,

Sobia.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points of the task. You provided details of the purchase, clearly described the various defects in the items, and explained the urgency of the replacement due to an upcoming event. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. To reach a higher band, ensure that the details provided are slightly more specific; for instance, including an order number or date would make the letter feel more authentic and professional. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader is left in no doubt about your requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the introduction to the problem description and finally the requested action. Paragraphing is used, though the structure could be improved by separating the problem description from the request for a refund more distinctly. You use some cohesive devices like 'Soon' and 'Otherwise', but the flow between sentences is occasionally a bit mechanical. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in light of this' to connect your ideas more fluidly and demonstrate better control over the text's organization.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. You use words like 'enthusiastically', 'disappointed', and 'promptly' effectively. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'blue jeans' (which should be 'a pair of blue jeans') and 'the size of jeans was long' (which is better expressed as 'the jeans were too long'). The phrase 'not according to the photo' is understandable but slightly unnatural. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise descriptive terms for clothing defects would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'reaching out you' (missing 'to'), 'as mentioned in the pictures' (the 'as' is redundant here), and 'if replacement will take long time' (missing an article). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some minor issues with spacing and comma usage. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring they remain error-free will help you achieve a higher band.

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