Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-14

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/Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my bad experience with my dress which I purchased from your company. I bought a black color long dress made from satin fabric. I ordered it on August 31, 2026. It arrived on time that was wonderful.

The issue begins when I opened it. Firstly it was of wrong size. Secondly, I ordered long dress but it was short. The fabric was also not same. It was of cotton. I understand one problem can be there by mistake. But my whole order was different. Your company is such a reputed one and this kind of experience will lead to loose your customers.

I request you to replace my order as soon as possible. The reason is my convocation is around the corner and I need to wore it there. I will be waiting for your reply and to fix my issue as early as you can.

Thank You,

Yours Faithfully,

Mehak Arora

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student has successfully covered all bullet points required by the task prompt. Details of the purchase are clearly provided, including the item description ('black color long dress made from satin fabric') and the exact purchase date ('August 31, 2026'). The problem is thoroughly described, highlighting multiple discrepancies such as the wrong size, incorrect length, and wrong fabric material. Finally, the need for an urgent replacement is well explained by stating that a convocation is coming up and the dress is required for that specific event. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, maintaining a clear purpose throughout. Although some points could be expanded slightly further, all aspects of the prompt are addressed adequately, fitting the criteria for a solid band 6.5 or 7.0 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical progression from introducing the purchase, detailing the issues, and finally requesting a replacement. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different ideas, starting with the introduction and delivery, moving to the specific product defects, and concluding with the call to action. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic and mechanical, particularly with transitional phrases like 'Firstly' and 'Secondly'. Furthermore, referencing and sentence linking can feel slightly disjointed, such as in the abrupt sentence 'The issue begins when I opened it.' Despite these minor flaws in cohesion, the letter is easy to follow and meets the descriptors for band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'reputed', 'convocation', and 'express my bad experience'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation inaccuracies throughout the text. For instance, the student writes 'lead to loose your customers' instead of 'lead to losing your customers' or 'result in the loss of your customers', and uses 'to wore it there' instead of 'to wear it there'. Additionally, phrases like 'bad experience with my dress' lack natural collocation. While communication is not impeded by these lexical errors, they place the response firmly in the band 5.5 to 6.0 range due to frequent inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over basic structures. There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the response. Notable errors include 'The fabric was also not same' (missing article), 'one problem can be there by mistake' (unnatural phrasing), and a serious tense/form error with 'I need to wore it there' instead of 'I need to wear it'. Punctuation and capitalisation are generally fine, but syntax issues surface in sentences like 'The issue begins when I opened it.' These errors occur with enough frequency to distract the reader, though they do not impede overall understanding, aligning well with the band 5.5 descriptors.

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

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