Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my frustration with the recent purchase I made from your website

Although I have been a satisfied customer for several years, my recent experience was extremely disappointing. I bought a brown leather coat on August 28th(Friday), and it was listed under discounted items, and I paid $250 using my credit card.

One of the biggest issue is with the quality of the product, as in the description it was clearly mentioned as cotton and when the order arrived it was completely different fabric. In addition to that, based on my body type I ordered size small(S), but the one I received was medium, which clearly will not suite a petite body.

I sincerely request to urgently replace the product I received with the one I actually ordered, as I have an important event next week. In fact, I ordered this clothing item specifically for this occasion, and I do not have enough time to find any other replacement. Therefore, I request you replace it at your earliest convenience.

I look forward to getting confirmation of my dispatched order.

Best regards,

Tim Cook

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly provided the purchase details, including the date and price, described the specific issues regarding fabric quality and sizing, and explained the urgency of the replacement due to an upcoming event. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and the purpose is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail regarding the specific item (e.g., a reference number) to make the request more professional and realistic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use appropriate cohesive devices such as 'In addition to that', 'Therefore', and 'In fact' to link your sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is clear and contributes to the overall coherence of the letter. The flow is natural, and the relationship between the problem and the requested solution is explicitly stated, making the letter easy to navigate.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal letter, such as 'frustration', 'disappointing', 'petite', and 'earliest convenience'. There are a few minor word choice issues, such as 'one of the biggest issue' (should be plural 'issues') and 'suite' (should be 'suit'). While the vocabulary is sufficient and conveys your meaning clearly, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or precise business terminology would elevate the response further. Overall, the vocabulary is accurate enough to maintain a professional tone throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free and easy to understand. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as the subject-verb agreement error in 'one of the biggest issue' and the spelling error 'suite' instead of 'suit'. Additionally, the phrase 'clearly will not suite a petite body' is slightly informal. However, these errors are non-systematic and do not impede communication. Your control over punctuation and sentence structure is generally strong, supporting a clear and professional message.

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

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