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 or Madam,

Subject: Need solution for defected product.

I am writing to inform you a issue regarding your company's product. Recenty, I bought a T-shirt through your online website on last monday. I purchased it for $150, where you marked it was fresh stock. I was very happy due to ordered the t-shirt that I like too much. But when I opend the packaging and tried it, I got a cut on it, just following by the left shoulder. I am feeling very sad because I have to wear it by an event which is going to on next tuesday.

In addition, I would like to request you that please provide me with the new t shirt of the same desgin and size as solution. So I can wear it by the event. I will be really thankful to you for your this assistance.

I am looking forward to you for positive response. Thank you so much.

Yours faithfully,

Sukhbir.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all three bullet points required by the task prompt. In the opening, details of the purchase are provided by mentioning that a T-shirt was bought through the online website last Monday for $150. The problem is clearly described when the writer states, 'when I opend the packaging and tried it, I got a cut on it, just following by the left shoulder.' Finally, the need for a replacement is explained urgently by giving the specific reason that 'I have to wear it by an event which is going to on next tuesday.' The tone is generally appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and all requirements are met adequately, aligning with the Band 6.0 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with standard letter formatting, including 'Dear Sir or Madam,' and 'Yours faithfully, Sukhbir.' Ideas are grouped into logical paragraphs separating the introduction and problem description from the proposed solution and closing. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For instance, the transition 'where you marked it was fresh stock' is awkward, and the sentence starting with 'So I can wear it' fragments the dependent clause incorrectly. Paragraphing could also be managed more naturally. Overall, the organizational structure meets the criteria for Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating the nature of the issue and the desired solution. Words such as 'online website', 'packaging', and 'replacement' demonstrate sufficient lexical adequacy. However, there are notable word choice and spelling errors that prevent a higher score, such as 'defected' instead of 'defective', 'Recenty' instead of 'Recently', and 'desgin' instead of 'design'. Additionally, phrases like 'feeling very sad' sound slightly unnatural in a formal business complaint context. These errors do not impede overall communication, placing this response firmly in the Band 6.0 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'I am feeling very sad because I have to wear it by an event which is going to on next tuesday.' However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including preposition misuse ('issue regarding', 'by an event', 'look forward to you'), incorrect verb forms ('going to on'), and spelling/typographical slips. While these errors do not completely obscure the message, they occur frequently enough to prevent the writing from reaching the Band 7.0 level, making Band 6.0 the most accurate assessment.

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

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