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,

I am writing regarding the clothes that I purchased online from your store. Unfortunately, I recieved the product with a different colour, and I would request your assistance to resolve this matter.

To begin with, I placed an order on your official website for white colour T shirt approximately a week ago. I choose the specific coloured T-shirt as a gift for my sister on her birthday this weekend. The package was delivered this Monday morning at my home address.

Another important matter is that the product delivered was not the same item I placed the order for. I choose a white coloured T shirt but instead I recieved a blue T-shirt. I believe it was sent on my address accidentally. I immediately took pictures of the package and the wrong item.

Finally, I would like to request you to urgently send a replacement as I need this clothing for my sister's birthday party. I would be grateful if you can please arrange collection of the wrong product from my house.

I hope you will consider my request and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Dilpreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

You cover all three requested points clearly: you identify the online purchase, explain that the white T-shirt ordered arrived as a blue one, and request an urgent replacement because it is for your sister’s birthday party. The details about ordering roughly a week ago and delivery on Monday make the complaint specific, while asking the company to collect the incorrect item gives a practical next step. The purpose and polite tone remain clear throughout. To make the response even more complete, specify the order number or the exact date of purchase, if known, and state a preferred deadline for receiving the replacement. These are minor opportunities to sharpen an otherwise well-developed letter.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter is organised in a clear sequence: opening purpose, purchase details, description of the error, and requested action. Paragraphing helps the reader follow each stage, and phrases such as “To begin with,” “Another important matter,” and “Finally” signal progression. The closing is appropriate and consistent with the formal greeting. Some linking is a little formulaic, particularly the repeated use of signposting phrases to introduce each paragraph. You could make the flow more natural by connecting details directly—for example, linking the birthday purpose to the urgency in the final paragraph—and using fewer explicit transitions. Overall, the progression is easy to follow and the cohesion is effective, with some room for greater flexibility.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for a formal complaint and communicates the issue without difficulty. Phrases such as “resolve this matter,” “replacement,” and “arrange collection” suit the purpose, and the tone is generally polite. However, there are several spelling and word-choice or collocation slips, including “recieved,” “I choose” where “I chose” is intended, and “sent on my address” rather than the more natural “sent to my address.” “White colour T shirt” is also awkwardly phrased. These errors do not prevent understanding, but they limit the precision and naturalness of the language. Build a small set of accurate complaint-letter phrases and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the purpose clause “as I need this clothing for my sister’s birthday party” and the conditional request “I would be grateful if you can please arrange collection.” Most sentences are understandable, and punctuation and paragraph boundaries generally support the message. Some grammatical errors remain: “I choose” should be “I chose” for a completed purchase, and “for white colour T shirt” needs an article and a more complete noun phrase, such as “for a white T-shirt.” In the request, “if you can” would be more consistent with the polite conditional as “if you could.” Review tense consistency, articles, and conditional forms to improve accuracy while retaining your sentence variety.

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

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