Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-11

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 or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express the dissatisfaction with my recent purchased from Kathmandu City store Oshawa Canada, Which is located south side of Oshawa center.

I made the purchased with my credit card. I paid almost 300 dollars for 2 pairs of shoes. However, the customer service experience was terrible. The person who made the transaction was incompetent he misused my card and he add additional 45 dollars for shocks which I had not buy.

I had selected the US 45 size running shoes while, staff packed 43 size which made my visiting experience even more worse. I realized that very late on Saturday afternoon after few days of my visit.

I need the replacement as soon as possible in addition to that I moved in Ottawa on same afternoon for business meeting. Could you please send the replacement here in Ottawa.

Thank you for understanding the matter, I hope you quickly resolved the matter and send the replacement.

Yours faithfully,

keshav

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points: purchase details, the nature of the problem, and the need for an urgent replacement. However, the development of these points is somewhat uneven. The description of the problem is clear, but the explanation regarding the urgency is brief and lacks a formal tone. While the task requirements are met, the tone is occasionally inconsistent with a formal letter of complaint, particularly in the phrasing of the service issues. To improve, ensure that the tone remains professional throughout and provide more specific details regarding the transaction to strengthen the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition between the purchase details and the specific problems could be smoother. There are some issues with referencing, such as the unclear connection between the store location and the subsequent complaint. While the overall progression is coherent, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to connect ideas more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'made the purchased' instead of 'made the purchase' and 'shocks' instead of 'socks'. These errors, while not impeding communication, demonstrate a limited range of vocabulary. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to retail and customer service, and ensure that word forms (e.g., noun vs. verb) are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the quality of the writing. Common issues include incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'he add additional' instead of 'he added'), missing articles, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'made my visiting experience even more worse'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the writing from achieving a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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