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 or Madam,

I am writing to express my disappointment with the purchase of dresses from your online store.

I placed an order of three dresses from Shein.ca on 28 September and recieved the package on 7 October. Although the order was delieverd on time, I am not satisfied with the clothing.

Out of three dresses only one dress is fine and fits me well; however, the rest of two are different in size, color and poor quality. I recieved one dress in size M and I wear size Xs. I order last dress with full excitement and I am supposed to wear that on my birthday; unfortunately, that dress turned out to be totally unexpected. I ordered pastel pink dress but recieved a dark pink one with low quality, and see through fabric.

My birthday is on 17 October, and I organized a pink theme dress. To be more precise, I have already purchased accessories and footwear to match with pastel pink dress. I request you to solve this problem as soon as possible.

I would really appreciate it if you could check the details at Simrat.kaur123.gmail account and send a replacement order on the given address through courier service atleast 3 days before my birthday.

Yours faithfully,

Simrat

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three required points clearly. You identify the purchase and dates, explain that two dresses have problems with size, colour and fabric, and give a specific reason for urgency: your birthday on 17 October and the accessories and footwear already bought to match. The request for a replacement at least three days beforehand makes the desired outcome clear. These details develop the complaint well and keep it focused on the task. To make the response even more complete, specify which dress should be replaced and state what you expect the company to do about the other unsuitable item. The account is otherwise clear and appropriately formal.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a sensible sequence: you introduce the complaint, give the order details, describe the defects, explain the deadline, and make a request. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “Although,” “however,” and “To be more precise” guide the reader through the explanation. The progression is clear overall. Some links and references could be more precise: “the rest of two” makes the number of affected dresses awkward to follow, while “that dress” refers to the birthday dress without clearly distinguishing it from the other incorrect-size item. Use clearer labels such as “the second dress” and “the third dress,” and connect the final request directly to the specific replacement needed.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a complaint, including “disappointment,” “replacement order,” “pastel pink,” and “see through fabric.” These choices communicate the problem and the urgency, and the tone is generally suitable for a formal letter. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “order of three dresses,” “the rest of two,” and “organized a pink theme dress.” There are also spelling errors in “recieved” and “delieverd,” which detract from accuracy. Aim for more natural phrases such as “ordered three dresses,” “the other two,” and “planned a pink-themed outfit.” Proofreading spelling and choosing standard clothing-related collocations would make your vocabulary more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes both simple sentences and more complex forms, for example the contrast in “Although the order was delivered on time” and the conditional request, “I would really appreciate it if you could…” These structures help express the complaint politely, and the meaning remains clear. Some grammatical errors persist, including “I wear size Xs” where a more natural construction is “I wear size XS,” and “I organized a pink theme dress,” which needs a clearer grammatical structure. The sentence beginning “Out of three dresses” also has awkward number and article use. Review articles, plural forms, and sentence construction, and use consistent past tense when describing the order and what arrived.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.