Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction with a recent online purchase i made from your company.

I ordered a black dress and pair of shoes from your website. The order was placed on 23 September under order number 0007. The total cost of the purchase was $150. I received the order yesterday afternoon.

The moment i opened the package i saw the dress was torn from the bottom along with the stain. Although i ordered a medium size for my dress, i received a large one in a navy blue colour, which is completely opposite from what i ordered. Moreover, fabric was of poor quality which completely ruined the look.

I would really appreciate if you could arrange a replacement as soon as possible because i need the dress for the upcoming event on next weekend. I have attached the details to send a alternative dress through the express delivery.

I look forward to hear from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Suman Malhi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully covers all bullet points required by the prompt. First, the student gives precise details of the purchase, including the items ordered, the date of purchase (23 September), the order number (0007), and the total cost ($150). Second, the problem is clearly described, noting that the dress was torn, stained, the wrong size (large instead of medium), and the wrong color (navy blue instead of black), alongside poor fabric quality. Finally, the need for an urgent replacement is well explained because the item is required for an upcoming event next weekend. The tone is appropriately formal and polite for a complaint letter. Overall, all parts of the task are fully and effectively addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and progression. The layout is well-structured into appropriate paragraphs, starting with an opening statement of purpose, followed by purchase details, specific complaints, urgency explanation, and a closing sign-off. Cohesive devices are used effectively to connect ideas, such as 'The order was placed', 'The moment I opened', and 'Moreover'. Referencing is clear throughout the text. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to separate distinct thoughts, making the letter easy to read and follow from beginning to end.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary suitable for a formal complaint letter, using appropriate terms such as 'dissatisfaction', 'online purchase', 'express delivery', and 'replacement'. There are some less common lexical items attempted with general accuracy, though minor errors appear, such as the lowercase 'i' used for the pronoun 'I' on multiple occasions. Word choice is generally natural and the meaning is fully conveyed without any impedance to communication. To achieve a higher band, the student could incorporate more sophisticated phrasing and precise collocations regarding customer service.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writing contains a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Although i ordered a medium size for my dress, i received a large one in a navy blue colour'. There is good control over punctuation and sentence structure. However, there are some recurrent grammatical and mechanical errors, most notably the failure to capitalise the pronoun 'I' ('i opened', 'i received', 'i need'), and a minor missing article in 'along with the stain'. Despite these minor inaccuracies, the majority of sentences are clear and correct, and the errors do not impede communication.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.