Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-10

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 hope you are doing good. Actually, i would inform you that a couple of day ago i bought clothes for my brother wedding but i wants to return all of them because its has issue, when i was saw on the websites its looks attractive and made in good fabric even i was so glad when i received a parcel but when i open it first look was not good because on website its looks like different. Another one is one of my suits which was one of my favorite that is little bit tight so i was down in the dumps.

However, my main point is i want need replacement of all of these as soon as possible because after one week, my brother marriage. Even i don not have more clothes so i can wear on that day. due to hectic sechudule i was unable to buy clothes from local markets so that is why i go with online shopping but my experience was so bad. i will request you to change my clothes.

Thank you.

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 limited. The description of the problem is repetitive and lacks clarity, as the phrases 'its has issue' and 'looks like different' are vague. While the urgency is explained, the tone is inconsistent and occasionally informal (e.g., 'down in the dumps'). To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific details about the items purchased (e.g., order number, specific product names) and ensure the tone remains professional throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'Another one is one of my suits' is an awkward transition, and the connection between sentences is sometimes weak, making the flow feel disjointed. The use of 'However' at the start of the second paragraph is not entirely appropriate given the context. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the logical progression of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and often repetitive. You rely on simple descriptors like 'good' and 'bad' multiple times. There are also several instances of incorrect word choice and collocation, such as 'I would inform you' (should be 'I am writing to inform you'), 'brother wedding' (should be 'brother's wedding'), and 'go with online shopping' (should be 'chose to shop online'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precision and the frequent errors in word formation prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Expanding your vocabulary to include more specific, formal terms would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede readability. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('it has issue', 'it looks like'), tense inconsistency ('when I was saw', 'when I open it'), and missing articles or possessives ('brother wedding'). The sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters for 'I' and improper sentence boundaries. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and consistent verb tense usage before attempting more complex structures.

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

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