Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing a letter to inform you that I bought clothes by online from your company which were not satisfied me. Actually, I download app of your comapny with recommend of my friend and decide to purchase clothes. I gave order and receive my order within 13 days. It was two shirts of black colour and you offer discount on it.

when I open the parcel, I felt angry to see it because firstly these were not only black colour but also size were not suitable for me. Besides this, the stuff of shirts was not effective. It looks old and dirty and it seems that it was use before. I felt upset to see it because my money and time was waste.

I want to inform you that I have urgently need of it as party is held in friend's house tommorrow and everyone must to wear black shirt. I have no any shirt of this colour. Therefore, I request to you would replace as soon as poosible so that I can wear it and attend my friend party.

Yours sincerely,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all three bullet points required by the task instructions. The student provides details of the purchase by mentioning the online order of two black shirts received within 13 days. The problem is clearly described, noting that the color and size were incorrect, and the fabric appeared old, dirty, and previously used. Furthermore, the need for an urgent replacement is explained by stating that a party is happening at a friend's house tomorrow and a black shirt is required. While the tone is a bit informal and overly direct in places, the letter successfully addresses all aspects of the prompt. Ideas are sufficiently developed to meet the requirements of Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is divided into appropriate paragraphs, each focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt, starting with the purchase details, moving to the problem, and concluding with the urgent request. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Actually', 'when I open the parcel', and 'Therefore', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, with phrases like 'it was two shirts' and 'when I open the parcel'. However, the logical progression could be smoother, and some sentences lack seamless connection. The overall arrangement is coherent, fitting the descriptors for a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey their dissatisfaction and details of the order. However, there are numerous lexical and collocational errors throughout the response, such as 'bought clothes by online' instead of 'bought clothes online', 'were not satisfied me' instead of 'did not satisfy me', 'download app' instead of 'downloaded the app', and 'stuff of shirts' instead of 'fabric of the shirts'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with some inaccuracy. These errors do not impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score to Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Therefore, I request to you would replace as soon as poosible so that I can wear it'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward structures, including missing articles ('a party is held in friend's house'), tense inconsistencies ('I felt angry', 'it was use before'), and incorrect prepositions ('request to you'). Punctuation and spelling ('poosible', 'tommorrow') also show regular lapses. While meaning is generally clear despite these errors, the high frequency of inaccurate complex structures places this submission firmly at Band 5.0.

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

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