Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I had ordered a pair of T shirts and jeans from your Online website.My order number is 43568 and the customer name is Tim Watson. I would like to let you know that the T shirt that I received is in a good condition and I am really comfortable wearing that but I am not satisfied with the quality of the jeans.

I went to my friend's house wearing the T shirt and jeans that I ordered from the your store. While returning to my house I had to walk through the rain for 10 minutes and I forgot to carry the rain coat because I am not expecting a rain at that time. When I reached the home I noticed that the colour of the jeans started fading It most probably washed away by the rain.

I wanted to replace the jeans as soon as possible because I am leaving to my grandmothers house for a vaccation and I will be staying their for the next six months. I hope you will understand the problem and you will resolve it as soon as possible.

Thank you.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter covers all three required points: it identifies the order and customer, explains that the jeans faded after exposure to rain, and gives a reason for needing a replacement soon. The urgency is clear in the reference to a six-month stay with your grandmother. However, some details are less fully developed: the purchase date, size or other identifying information is absent, and the request for a replacement could be stated more directly, with a clear request for the company to arrange it before you leave. The opening also differs from the required “Dear Sir or Madam,” and the letter ends without a formal sign-off. More precise details and a direct request would make the purpose more complete and effective.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information follows a generally logical sequence: purchase details, the problem with the jeans, and the reason a replacement is urgent. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and linking phrases such as “While returning to my house” and “because” make the timeline and cause understandable. Some connections are less smooth, however. The opening spends time praising the T-shirt before moving to the complaint, and the account of the rain could be more concise so the main issue stands out. The final request is also indirect, so the letter’s purpose does not conclude as firmly as it could. A clearer progression from order details to complaint, explicit action requested, and closing would strengthen cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate to communicate the situation, with relevant terms such as “order number,” “quality,” “fading,” “replace,” and “resolve.” There is some attempt at more specific language, but several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “washed away by the rain,” “a good condition,” and “leaving to my grandmothers house.” Spelling errors such as “vaccation” also reduce accuracy. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the complaint, but they limit precision and naturalness. Choose standard expressions for clothing defects and travel plans, and check spelling and possessives carefully; this will make the letter sound more fluent and appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including a time clause beginning “While returning to my house” and a reason clause with “because.” The main events remain understandable, but some grammatical errors occur. For example, “I had ordered” is less suitable than the simple past for a completed purchase, and “I am not expecting a rain” has a tense and article problem. There are also errors in “from the your store,” “I reached the home,” and “I will be staying their,” as well as missing sentence punctuation after “fading.” Aim for more consistent past-tense narration and check articles, pronouns, and sentence boundaries. Greater accuracy in these areas would improve control without requiring more complicated structures.

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

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