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/Madam,

I am writing to complain about a clothing I bought from UNIQULO shop- Adelaide branch.

I bought a size 10, blue satin knee length dress for AUD55 on 5th September 2026. The reciept number is [redacted phone].

The main problem is the dress has a huge red stain on the front of the dress and it seems like a paint. Another reason is the broken zipper. I believe this has happened at the store, as I have not removed the package until today to remove the price tag. The price tag is still on the dress.

I bought this dress as a gift for my sister and I am running out of time to find another option.

Therefore, I kindly ask for an urgent replacement for this dress.

I will be coming to the city branch on 9th, Saturday. I would appreciate if you could arrange a another one in same size for me at the shop.

Thank you for your attention on this regards.

Best regards,

Sumitha Gunatilake

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter clearly addresses all three requirements. You identify the purchase with useful details—the blue satin dress, size, price, date and receipt number—then explain the stain and broken zipper. You also make the urgency understandable by saying it is a gift for your sister and that time is running out, and you request a replacement. The proposed visit to the city branch gives the company a practical next step. To make the response more fully developed, clarify the exact date of your visit and whether you expect to exchange the dress in person or have it reserved beforehand. Overall, the purpose and requested action remain clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information is arranged in a clear sequence: purchase details, defects, urgency and the requested arrangement. Separate paragraphs help the reader follow these stages, and links such as “Another reason” and “Therefore” make the relationship between points explicit. The closing also follows naturally from the request. Some connections could be smoother and more precise: “Another reason” is slightly awkward for introducing a second defect, while “I will be coming to the city branch on 9th, Saturday” would be clearer if the date were stated unambiguously. The letter is easy to follow overall, but a few transitions and references draw attention rather than feeling fully natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a complaint letter, including “huge red stain,” “broken zipper,” “urgent replacement” and “running out of time.” These choices communicate the problem and the requested remedy effectively. There are, however, some spelling, word-choice and collocation inaccuracies: “reciept” should be “receipt,” “a clothing” is not the natural expression for one item, and “it seems like a paint” is imprecise. “On this regards” is also an unnatural phrase for a formal closing. More precise language for the garment’s condition and the requested exchange would improve control and formality while preserving the clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The letter combines straightforward statements with some more developed structures, such as “I believe this has happened at the store, as I have not removed the package until today” and “I bought this dress as a gift for my sister and I am running out of time.” Meaning is generally clear, and several sentences are correctly formed. Some grammatical errors remain, including “a another one in same size,” which needs an appropriate article and determiner, and “I would appreciate if,” where the clause requires “it” after “appreciate.” The sentence about not removing the package is also difficult to interpret structurally. Greater accuracy with articles and clause construction, alongside the existing sentence variety, would strengthen the letter.

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