Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-14

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,

I am writing to complain about some clothing recently bought from your online store.

I placed an order on 10 October 2026 from your website. My order number is 12345. I ordered a black formal shirt, size medium, and a pair of blue jeans for Rs. 8,500. The payment was made online.

Unfortunately, I am not satisfied with my purchase. When I recieved the parcel yesterday, I found two problems. First, the size of the shirt is too small instead of medium, so it is too tight for me. Second, the colour of the jeans is black, not blue, and there is a small tear near the pocket.

I need a replacement urgently because I bought these clothes for my brother's wedding ceremony, which is on 18th October. This is a very important event for my family and I have no time to buy new clothes from the market.

Therfore, I would be grateful if you could replace these items with the correct ones as soon as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Ahmad.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three required points clearly and appropriately. You identify the purchase with a date, order number, item descriptions, sizes, price, and payment method; you then explain the shirt’s incorrect size and the jeans’ wrong colour and tear. The urgency is also well supported by the specific wedding date and your limited time to shop. The request for replacement is direct and polite, so the reader knows what action you expect. These details make the response complete and well developed. To make the purpose even more precise, specify whether you expect both items to be replaced and, if possible, request a delivery date before the wedding.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The information follows a clear, practical sequence: purpose, purchase details, problems, urgency, and requested action. Separate paragraphs make each stage easy to locate, while “Unfortunately,” “First,” “Second,” and “Therefore” guide the reader through the complaint. The closing is also suitable for a formal letter. The progression is consistently logical, though the linking is somewhat explicit and formulaic. For a more flexible flow, you could combine the two product problems in a smoothly structured sentence and use a less predictable transition into the request, such as “Given the approaching date, I would appreciate…” Overall, the organisation is effective and the reader can follow the message without effort.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for a formal complaint and communicates the key details precisely, including “order number,” “payment was made online,” “replacement,” and “wedding ceremony.” You also use appropriate polite language in “I would be grateful” and “I look forward to hearing from you.” However, the range is fairly straightforward, and a few choices or spelling slips reduce accuracy: “recieved” and “Therfore” are misspelled, while “clothing” and “clothes” are repeated. “The colour of the jeans is black” is understandable but could be expressed more naturally as “the jeans are black rather than blue.” Aim for accurate spelling and a few more precise complaint-related phrases without making the tone overly elaborate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a useful mix of simple and more complex structures, and many sentences are controlled, such as “I placed an order on 10 October 2026 from your website” and the sentence explaining the wedding date. The conditional-polite request, “I would be grateful if you could replace these items,” is also effective. Most grammar and punctuation support clear communication. To strengthen accuracy and range, review sentence construction in “the size of the shirt is too small instead of medium,” where the comparison is awkward; a clearer structure would be “the shirt is smaller than the medium size I ordered.” You could also vary sentence patterns beyond the repeated short statements while maintaining the generally good control shown here.

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

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