Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-15

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)

Hi Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. This is regarding the online purchase that i have done recently from the amazon by using the discount coupon. I am writing you because i am not happy with the purchase.

Actually, a few days before i have ordered a dress for myself and i received it just one day before. when i got the package i was so excited to try it as i have bought it for a birthday party. But, it was very loose when i wore it, i saw that you put the wrong size in my package. while ordering, i selected the small size but now i received the medium size and also i noticed that it was shrinked from the one side.

I am quite dissatisfied with the service. But i need urgent replacement for the dress as a earlier mentioned above that i was going to wear it on a birthday party of my friend. I hope you will replace it as soon as possible.

Regards

Raman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover all three requested points: you identify the purchase as a dress ordered from Amazon, explain that the package contained a medium rather than the small size selected and that the dress is damaged on one side, and request a replacement because of your friend’s birthday party. These details make the complaint clear and relevant. However, the purchase information is fairly general: adding an order date or reference number would make it more useful to the company. The urgency is stated, but could be developed by specifying when the party is and asking for a replacement by a particular date. The opening also differs from the required “Dear Sir or Madam,” and a more explicit request for the company’s action would strengthen the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a sensible overall sequence: you introduce the purchase, describe what went wrong, and then explain why you need a replacement. This makes the main purpose easy to follow. Paragraphing also separates the main stages of the complaint, although the large indents and the short closing could be presented more consistently. Some links feel mechanical or unclear, particularly “But i need urgent replacement” and “as a earlier mentioned above”; the latter repeats information without connecting it smoothly. Use clearer transitions such as “As the party is approaching, I would be grateful if…” and keep each paragraph focused on one purpose. A more direct closing request would also give the letter a stronger progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the complaint, including “discount coupon,” “wrong size,” “dissatisfied,” and “urgent replacement.” The reader can understand the problem and the reason for urgency. However, some choices and combinations are unnatural or imprecise, such as “the online purchase that i have done,” “shrinked from the one side,” and “birthday party of my friend.” These limit the naturalness and precision of the letter. Choose standard complaint language and check word forms and collocations: for example, describe the garment as “damaged on one side” and refer to “my friend’s birthday party.” More precise terms for the order and the requested remedy would help you express the issue more professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, for example, explaining the order and the problem in connected clauses. The overall meaning remains clear, but some errors in tense, articles, sentence boundaries, and capitalization reduce accuracy. In “a few days before i have ordered,” the time reference calls for a past-tense form, while “i received it just one day before” needs a clearer reference point. The sentence beginning “while ordering” should start with a capital letter, and “as a earlier mentioned above” has an incorrect article and awkward structure. Review past-tense forms and article use, and break long sentences into controlled units. These changes would make the complaint more polished without sacrificing the range you are attempting.

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

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