Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-16

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 6.5)

Dear sir,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the purchase that I made on 10 october from your official website.

Firstly, I would like to bring your attention that size is not same as written in the description. Unfortunately, there is one small whole on the back side of it. This was particulary dissapointing because I order it for my birthday party.

Furthermore, there is no extra time left to order it again. As a result, I experienced considerable inconvenience. Despite several attempts to make it fit and nice, the matter remained unresolved.

I would therefore appreciate it if you could provide a replacement urgently. If you need further information you can contact me any time. I hope that appropriate action will be taken promptly.

Yours faithfully,

Manpreet.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three requested points: you identify the purchase date and website, describe the sizing issue and hole, and request an urgent replacement. The birthday-party detail and statement that there is no time to order again explain the urgency, so the purpose is clear. However, some details are under-developed: you do not identify the clothing item, give an order number, or explain when the party is, and “there is no extra time left” is rather general. The response is also 20 words below the required minimum, leaving less space to develop the complaint and make the urgency convincing. Adding these specifics would make the letter more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear overall progression: it opens with the reason for writing, describes the defects, explains the time pressure, and ends with a request and polite closing. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and linking expressions such as “Firstly,” “Furthermore,” and “As a result” help guide the reader. The organisation is effective, though some transitions feel formulaic, and the connection between the failed attempts to make the garment fit and the request for a replacement could be clearer. You could also group the purchase details and both product problems more smoothly, then use the next paragraph to explain the deadline and its consequences. This would make the progression feel more natural while retaining the clear structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a suitable range of complaint and request language, including “express my dissatisfaction,” “considerable inconvenience,” and “appropriate action.” These choices make the purpose clear and show some ability to use formal vocabulary. However, several word-choice and collocation problems reduce naturalness: “bring your attention” is not the usual phrase, “small whole” should be “small hole,” and “make it fit and nice” is vague. There are also spelling errors in “particulary,” “dissapointing,” and “october.” Aim for precise descriptions of the garment and defect, and check spelling carefully. More natural phrasing would make the letter sound consistently professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the conditional request “I would therefore appreciate it if you could provide a replacement” and the subordinate clause beginning “because.” Most sentences communicate their meaning, and errors rarely prevent understanding. Some grammatical inaccuracies remain, however. In “size is not same as written in the description,” the article and comparison structure need correction; “there is one small whole on the back side of it” also has an unclear reference to the item. The opening salutation is given as “Dear sir,” rather than the instructed “Dear Sir or Madam,” and the closing punctuation could be standardised. Review articles, sentence phrasing, and formal-letter conventions to improve accuracy.

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