Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-11

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 am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a recent clothing purchase from your online store. i ordered a black formal suit anf white shirt from you website on 2 octocber, anf the order was delieved to my home three days later.

unfortunately, i was not happy with quality of the product. the suit i received was worng size, and the shirt had small tear near the sleeve. Although i checked the size chart before placing my order, the suit was much smaller than expected.

i would appreciate it if could exchange both items as soon as possible. i urgently need these clothes for a job interview next week, and i do not have enough time to purchase them from another store. i would be greatgul if you could arrange express delievey for the replacement items at no additional cost.

thank you for your attention on this matter. i look forward to receiving your reponse.

your faithfully,

ramanjot kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter addresses all three required points: you identify the purchase and delivery date, explain that the suit is too small and the shirt is torn, and request an urgent exchange because of a job interview next week. The reason for urgency is clear and relevant, and the request for express delivery at no extra cost makes the desired outcome specific. The details are sufficient to make the complaint actionable. To strengthen the response further, include a little more precise purchase information, such as an order number or the suit’s ordered size, and clarify whether you expect both items to be replaced or only the damaged shirt. Overall, the purpose and requested action remain clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The information follows a clear, practical sequence: you introduce the purchase, describe the defects, explain the deadline, and close with a request and polite sign-off. Paragraphing separates the complaint details from the urgency and requested solution, while links such as “unfortunately,” “Although,” and “and” help show relationships between ideas. The letter is easy to follow and its progression is logical. To make the organisation more polished, use consistent paragraph breaks and standard capitalisation, and avoid relying on “and” to connect several requests in one sentence. A clearer transition into the requested remedy would make the final paragraph feel even more deliberate.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use vocabulary appropriate to a customer complaint, including “dissatisfaction,” “formal suit,” “size chart,” “exchange,” and “express delivery.” These choices communicate the situation and desired remedy, but the range and control are limited by several noticeable spelling errors, including “anf,” “octocber,” “delieved,” “worng,” “greatgul,” and “reponse.” Some phrasing is also less natural: “quality of the product” would be clearer as “quality of the items,” and “attention on this matter” is not the usual collocation. Aim to check spelling carefully and learn common complaint-letter phrases as complete expressions. More precise wording for the requested replacement would also improve flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes a useful mix of simple and complex sentence forms. For example, “Although I checked the size chart before placing my order, the suit was much smaller than expected” shows an effective subordinate clause, and the reason for urgency is expressed clearly. Some grammatical errors remain, but they rarely prevent understanding. Examples include the missing article in “not happy with quality,” the incomplete conditional phrase “if could exchange,” and the incorrect possessive in “your website.” The closing “your faithfully” also needs the standard form “Yours faithfully.” Review articles, possessives, and the structure “I would appreciate it if you could…”; these corrections would make the letter more accurate while preserving its clear meaning.

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

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