Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-08

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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

The purpose of my writing today is to inform you that the product I bought through your website is not worth the price.

Last week, I bought a dress for my wife because I wanted to give for my wedding anniversary. The dress was not the same as in the picture, and the material was thinner than mentioned in the description. Additionally, I was also disappointed with the color of the dress, which was different than I expected.

I would like the replacement as soon as possible for my product because our wedding anniversary is next week. And I would like to give this dress as a present on our 1st anniversary. If you cannot provide a replacement for my product before then, I would love to get a full refund for that.

I have attached copy of my receipt and photograph of the dress for your reference. Hopefully, you will do something to resolve my issue as soon as possible.

Look forward to hearing something positive from your side.

Yours faithfully,

Kevin Gohil

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter addresses all three requirements: it identifies the purchase as a dress bought online last week, explains that its appearance, material and colour differ from expectations, and links the urgency to the anniversary next week. The request for a replacement, with a refund as an alternative, makes your desired outcome clear. These details support the purpose effectively. To make the response more fully developed, include practical purchase information such as an order number, size or price, and specify what action you expect the company to take and by when. The reason for needing the replacement is relevant, though a little more detail about why it must be this particular gift would strengthen the explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter follows a clear sequence: purpose, purchase and problem, requested solution, then supporting documents and closing. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these stages, and connectors such as “Additionally” and “If” make relationships between ideas clear. The progression is easy to follow overall. Some linking is slightly mechanical or repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “as soon as possible” and the separate sentence beginning “And I would like…”. The final two sentences also repeat the hope for a response without adding much. You could improve flow by combining closely related points and ending with a concise, direct request for confirmation of the replacement or refund.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for a complaint letter, and phrases such as “full refund,” “attached copy of my receipt” and “for your reference” communicate the issue and requested remedy clearly. You also use relevant terms for the product and its defects, including “material,” “thinner” and “color.” However, some wording is imprecise or unnatural: “not worth the price” does not directly describe the mismatch, while “give for my wedding anniversary” and “hearing something positive from your side” are not idiomatic in this context. There is also repetition of “product” and “dress.” More precise complaint vocabulary and natural collocations would make the tone more professional and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more developed sentence forms, including the relative clause in “the color of the dress, which was different…” and the conditional sentence beginning “If you cannot provide…”. Most of the message remains understandable, and the main events and requests are clear. Some grammatical errors persist, however: “I wanted to give for my wedding anniversary” is missing an object after “give,” and “I have attached copy” needs an article before “copy.” The sentence beginning “And I would like…” is also awkwardly joined to the previous sentence. To strengthen accuracy, check articles and verb patterns, and connect related clauses with more controlled punctuation.

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