Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12

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,

On October 1st, I ordered two sweaters from your latest winter collection via online. The order has been placed under my name and charges were $150 including taxes and delivery charges. Specifically, both are having a knitted pattern and the only difference is of color. The ordered items were received yesterday on a give time.

To my surprise, I found delivered sweaters are of black and white color whereas I made an online order of red and wine color. Over and above, the knitting is broken on one of the sweater due to which there are wierd holes on it.

I need a replacement in place of defective items within a week. As I am going back home in the beginning of November on my father's birthday and tickets have been booked already. I want to give those sweaters as gift to my father at his 45th birthady. Undoubtedly, I could sent them later by post but I personally want to hand over those sweaters to him. For me, it is matter of great concern and I hope you would deliver the accurate color of sweaters as soon as possible.

I hope you would understand the importance of giving presents to parents.

Yours sincerely,

Jasleen Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three requested points clearly. You identify the purchase as two sweaters ordered on October 1 for $150, explain both the colour mismatch and the damaged knitting, and request a replacement within a week. The reason for urgency is also well supported: you are travelling home for your father’s birthday and want to give him the sweaters in person. This makes the purpose and desired outcome clear throughout. To make the request even more complete, specify how the company should arrange the exchange—for example, whether it should send replacements and collect the incorrect items—and state what action you expect if delivery within a week is not possible. Overall, the relevant details are well developed and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a sensible sequence: purchase details, problems with the delivery, then the urgent replacement request and its personal reason. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and links such as “To my surprise” and “As” guide the reader through the explanation. The letter is easy to follow overall. Some connections are less smooth, however: “As I am going back home…” is left as a sentence fragment, and “Over and above” sounds awkward as a transition between the two problems. The final sentence repeats the appeal to the reader after the reason has already been explained. Use more natural linking and make each paragraph advance the request rather than restating it.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use enough vocabulary to explain the purchase, defects, and urgency, including “knitted pattern,” “replacement,” “defective items,” and “hand over.” These choices make the situation understandable, and the wording is generally appropriate for a formal complaint. Some collocations and word forms are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “via online,” “on a give time,” and “accurate color of sweaters.” There are also spelling errors in “wierd” and “birthady.” These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and polish. Aim for standard complaint-letter phrases and check spelling carefully; more natural wording will help you express the same details with greater control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes a mix of simple statements and longer structures, such as the explanation of why the replacement is urgent. Most meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors occur in sentence construction, verb forms, and articles. For example, “both are having a knitted pattern” uses an awkward verb construction, while “As I am going back home…” is a dependent clause presented as a complete sentence. In “I could sent them later,” the verb form after “could” should be corrected. There are also issues in “it is matter of great concern” and “one of the sweater.” Review clause boundaries, modal verb patterns, and singular/plural agreement. More accurate control of these forms would make the letter smoother and more professional.

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

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