Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-22

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 Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to complain about my recent purchase. I bought a blue colored dress embroided with white flowers on it. It costs me $150. I have receipt for my purchase that shows the actual price along with the description of the product.

When I tried this dress first time at the shop, everything was perfect such as fitting and condion of the dress. However, when I came home, I noticed the loose threads on the back of the dress. It looks ugly and cheap. Although the dress was looking mesmerized at first look, low quality work makes it looks awkward.

I request a replacement of the same article untill next Friday. Since I have a function to attend next week, I require this dress before this occasion. I expect a quick response on my request.

I am waiting for your response.

Yours faithfully,

Simranpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate addresses all three bullet points required in the task instructions. Details of the purchase are provided, including the item description and cost ($150), along with mention of the receipt. The problem is described by noting the loose threads on the back of the dress after returning home. Finally, the need for an urgent replacement is explained by stating that a function must be attended next week and setting a deadline of next Friday. All parts of the prompt are covered well, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout, making this a solid performance that aligns closely with the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear beginning, middle, and end, following standard formal letter conventions. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the details of the problem, the requested action, and the sign-off. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Although', and 'Since' are employed to connect ideas, though some referencing and transitions could be smoother. For example, the sentence 'When I tried this dress first time at the shop...' transitions awkwardly to the discovery of the fault at home. Overall, the arrangement is coherent and easy to follow, satisfying the Band 6 to 7 criteria.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The candidate demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and descriptive phrases such as 'recent purchase', 'embroided with white flowers', and 'loose threads'. However, there are some noticeable word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'embroided' instead of 'embroidered', 'condion' instead of 'condition', and the unnatural phrase 'mesmerized' to describe how the dress looked. Despite these errors, the intended meaning is always clear, and the lexical range is sufficient to convey the necessary complaints and requests, fitting comfortably within the Band 6 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating clauses introduced by 'Although' and 'Since'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings present in the text, such as 'It costs me $150' (tense inconsistency), 'tried this dress first time' (missing article), 'makes it looks awkward' (incorrect verb form), and 'untill next Friday' (spelling and preposition choice). While these errors occur regularly throughout the response, they do not impede communication, as the reader can easily understand every point made. This performance is typical of Band 6 grammar.

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

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