Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-08

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 5.5)

Dear sir,

I writing about the dissatisfaction with purchasing clothes from your email. last week i purchased a dress online because i did not get that in any shop, when i saw a same dress on your shopping site then i ordered.

Moreover, when i received the dress my excitement turned into disappointment because the dress is not my sized and the color is also faded.

I have request to you for changing the dress as soon as possible because this my interview for my dream job so it is compulsory for me to wear this dress on that day. I sent you proper size and picture of color, which i need.

I hope will consider my problem urgently.

your faithfully,

Veerpal Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers all three bullet points: providing purchase details, describing the problem, and explaining the urgency. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation regarding the interview is brief, and the overall tone is somewhat informal for a formal complaint letter. To improve, you should expand on the details of the purchase (e.g., order number, date) and provide a more thorough explanation of the situation to ensure the letter meets the length requirement and maintains a professional tone.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, 'Moreover' is used to start the second paragraph, but the transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'I did not get that in any shop', which is ambiguous. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph flows logically into the next, creating a more cohesive and professional structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected for higher bands. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'dissatisfaction with purchasing' and 'not my sized'. The word choice is generally simple and repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise vocabulary related to retail and complaints, such as 'defective', 'incorrect dimensions', or 'requesting a refund/exchange'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and formal business terminology will significantly improve your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('the' dress), incorrect verb forms ('I writing'), and punctuation issues. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. For example, 'I hope will consider' is missing a subject. These errors occasionally impede the flow of the message. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles. Practising complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or conditional sentences, will also help demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

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

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