Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-18
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 6.5)
Dear Mam,
I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction with a customized boutique dress that I recently purchase from your online website.
The dress I ordered a week ago and today I got the parcel. I blindly trust on your company to make a boutique dress for me, that I can wear it on my engagement. Moreover, I agree with the terms of your company for advanced payment but the dress I received is not the same one.
The main problem with the dress is delivered in faded color and pearl work was not good. Furthermore, the dress is completely ruined and it has hole in it. With all such problems I am not able to wear it on my function.
As, I previously mention you that I ordered this dress for my special day which is was on 29 September. So, I want you replace it immediately and deliver the best, so I can enjoy my engagement party hassle-free. I hope you understand the situation well.
I am looking forward to your response.
Yours sincerely
Surpreet
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response successfully covers all three bullet points required in the task instructions. The student gives details of the purchase by mentioning a customized boutique dress ordered a week ago, describes the problems clearly by stating the dress arrived in a faded color with poor pearl work and a hole, and explains why a replacement is needed urgently for an upcoming engagement party on 29 September. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. The ideas are relevant and fully developed, satisfying the requirements for Band 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is logically organised with a clear beginning, middle, and end, following standard letter-writing conventions. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different points, such as the purchase details, the problems encountered, and the urgent request for a replacement. Cohesive devices are used adequately, including transition words like 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'So', though some referencing is slightly clunky, such as 'dress is delivered in faded color'. Overall cohesion is clear and supports a logical progression of ideas, placing this firmly in the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'dissatisfaction', 'customized boutique dress', and 'hassle-free'. However, there are noticeable vocabulary and collocation errors, such as 'recently purchase' instead of 'purchased', 'blindly trust on' instead of 'placed my trust in', and 'pearl work was not good'. While these errors do not impede communication, they restrict the lexical score to a Band 6.0 as they show limited precision in word choice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over structure. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies and structural slips like 'The dress I ordered a week ago and today I got the parcel', 'which is was on 29 September', and 'I want you replace it'. These errors occasionally cause slight awkwardness for the reader, though they rarely impede overall comprehension. This performance aligns well with the Band 6.0 descriptors for grammatical range and accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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