Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I had a disappointed experience buying clothes from online store and I am writing this email to express my feeling of buying clothes online from the store. However, It has been seen by other customers that a unconsistent and unreliable service customers recieved while individuals ordered clothes which leads to negative reviews on the website.

Recently, I bought a pair of jeans with a matching shirt. It showed the size I was looking for while ordering it with high expectations while receiving an order, and it was totally unexpected because clothes had different colour and size.

Although website posted with graphics showing unique colour and size, I recieved an order with opposite terms. Similarly, It's tight and uncomfortable. The colour of clothes too, are not as, it was shown in the pictures online. I am very disappointed and I am going to post negative review online.

If it's possible to return a item as soon as possible or I'll request a refund with full delivery cost. Since, I had a terrible experience using services, I except some compensations as a appreciation. That would be great and I might give second change by buying clothes next time online.

Thank you,

Best regards,

Alex

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the purchase as jeans and a matching shirt, explain that the items arrived in the wrong size and colour, and request a return or refund. These details address the complaint, but the task is only partially covered: you do not clearly explain why you need a replacement urgently, and the request focuses on returning the items rather than arranging a replacement. The opening also spends space on general claims about other customers and negative reviews instead of giving useful purchase details, such as when you ordered or an order reference. Develop the urgency with a specific reason and state clearly what replacement you want and by when.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter has a recognisable sequence: an opening complaint, a description of the order and its problems, and a request for action. Paragraph breaks help separate these stages. However, progression is not consistently clear because the first paragraph shifts from your own experience to claims about other customers, and several linking words do not show a clear relationship. For example, “However” does not introduce a contrast, while “Similarly” does not clearly connect the colour and fit problems. Some ideas are repeated, particularly the dissatisfaction and threat of a negative review. Organise the letter around purchase details, specific faults, urgency, and a direct request, using fewer and more precise transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “pair of jeans,” “matching shirt,” “different colour and size,” “refund,” and “compensations.” This gives the reader a basic understanding of the complaint. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or unnatural choices make the message less clear, such as “a disappointed experience,” “express my feeling,” and “opposite terms.” There are also spelling and word-form errors, including “unconsistent,” “recieved,” and “except” where you mean “expect.” Aim for precise customer-service language and natural collocations, such as describing the items as “the wrong size” or “not as pictured,” and requesting a “replacement” or “full refund.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, for example, “Although website posted with graphics showing unique colour and size…” and “Since, I had a terrible experience…”. However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make parts of the letter difficult to follow. Examples include “I had a disappointed experience buying clothes from online store,” the incomplete construction “It showed the size I was looking for while ordering it,” and “It's tight and uncomfortable,” where the reference to multiple items is unclear. Articles, sentence boundaries, and punctuation also need attention, as in “a item” and “Since, I had…”. Use shorter, complete sentences first, then check articles, agreement, and clause structure.

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