Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-02
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,
I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to you regarding a recent purchase from your shop which is a floral dress. I ordered this dress from your website which arrived to my home this morning, I was very excited for the dress as i was planning to wear it for my convocation ceremony but i was utterly disappointed after trying the dress on me.
I ordered a medium size of the dress but i got small one upon the delievery which is too short for me. As i already planned to wear this dress for my graduation day, I haven't bought any other dress as a second option.
By my graduation day being very close which is this Friday, I request you to send me a replacement as soon as possible so that my special day will not be ruined. I really trust your brand to assist my request on an urgent basis.
Kind regards
Komal
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The response covers all parts of the task appropriately. You have given clear details of the purchase by mentioning the floral dress bought from the website and delivered this morning. You have effectively described the problem, noting that you ordered a medium size but received a small one that is too short. Furthermore, you have explained why a replacement is needed urgently, highlighting that your convocation ceremony is this coming Friday and you have no backup outfit. The main bullet points are all addressed, though the explanation regarding the urgency could be slightly more extended to reach the highest levels. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and fully achieved.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
The letter demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. You have used an appropriate opening 'Dear Sir,' and divided your thoughts into logical paragraphs that separate the introduction and purchase details from the problem and the urgent request. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, with phrases like 'As i already planned' and 'By my graduation day being very close' guiding the reader through the situation. However, referencing and transitions could be slightly more sophisticated and flexible to push towards higher bands. Paragraphing is handled well overall, ensuring the letter is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating your message with terms like 'convocation ceremony', 'utterly disappointed', and 'replacement'. There are some spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'delievery' instead of delivery, and lowercase 'i' instead of 'I'. You attempt less common vocabulary, but occasional inaccuracies in collocation and word form appear, such as 'assist my request', which would more naturally be 'accommodate my request' or 'fulfill my request'. These lexical slips do not impede communication, but refining them will help elevate your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
Your response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating your ability to join ideas using clauses like 'which arrived to my home this morning' and 'so that my special day will not be ruined'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as run-on sentences ('arrived to my home this morning, I was very excited') and minor prepositional inaccuracies ('arrived to' instead of 'arrived at'). However, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication. Your control of verb tenses is generally sound as you shift between past events and future needs.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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