Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-07
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 5.0)
Dear sir,
Iam writing to this letter to notify my complain regarding online shopping from your company.I purchased cord set for me your company website 1 month ago.when i seaching item like it most so i placed order.Its mention delivery time is within 15 days but i recived after one month.Item such a different in colour as shown in picture and its so stressdfull for me.Additionally fabric is also very bad in quality.I need this for an event which on coming weekend.I have no any oppurtunatiy to go for physical shopping on urgent basis.
kindly look forward this matter and i want to replace my order urgently because i need it.
I atteched recipet of my order for refrence.
Hopefully you give me positive response regarding my problem as soon as possible therefore i enjoy my event happily.
I shall be thankfull for you forever.
your sincerly,
jhon jeen
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You cover the main points: you say you ordered a cord set, explain that it arrived late and differed in colour and fabric quality, and request a replacement because an event is coming up. The urgency is supported by the weekend deadline and your lack of time to shop in person. However, the purchase details are limited: the exact purchase date, order reference, and any identifying information about the item are not provided. The request is also somewhat unclear about what action you expect the company to take and by when. The response is one word below the required minimum, and several ideas remain under-developed. Add precise order details and a clear, polite deadline for the replacement.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The letter follows a broadly sensible order: purchase and delivery, product problems, urgency, and a request for action. This makes the purpose understandable. However, most information is placed in one long paragraph, so the stages of the complaint are not clearly separated. Some links between ideas are mechanical, such as “Additionally” and “therefore,” and the final sentences repeat the hope for a positive response and the request for urgency. Use short paragraphs for the purchase, the problems, and the requested solution. Clearer transitions and less repetition would make the progression easier to follow; for example, connect the weekend event directly to a specific replacement deadline.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the basic complaint, including “delivery time,” “fabric,” “quality,” “replace,” and “event.” However, the range is limited, and several inaccurate or misspelled expressions make the letter less clear or natural, including “cord set,” “notify my complain,” and “physical shopping.” Spelling errors such as “recived,” “oppurtunatiy,” and “refrence” are also noticeable. Aim for precise, conventional complaint-letter language and check spelling carefully. For example, describe the item as a “matching set” if that is what you bought, and state that you are “dissatisfied with the quality” rather than using an unclear phrase.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The response relies mainly on short, simple statements, with little evidence of controlled complex sentence structures. Frequent errors in sentence formation and grammar sometimes make the message difficult to read. For example, “I purchased cord set for me your company website 1 month ago” is missing articles and has an unclear word order, while “Its mention delivery time is within 15 days” does not form a correct sentence. There are also problems with verb forms and sentence boundaries, as in “I need this for an event which on coming weekend.” Practise complete sentence patterns, articles, and past-tense forms. A clearer version could be: “I ordered a matching set from your website a month ago, but it arrived after four weeks.”
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