Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-17

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 5.0)

Dear sir/madum,

Hope you are doing good.

I recently purchased a dress from your company via online on 6th june 2026.

I literally love the quality , colour but i am facing fit issue , according to chart it should fit to L but its not fitting out.

As i am atordertending my friends wedding on 9th june 2026 i had ordered this dress

As its not fitting in i request you please replace the dress and send me the dress to the same addres at the earliest

Thankyou for maintaining the quality , i would really love to order repetedly from your company

Please do the needful at the earlies

Your's sinserly,

XYZ

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You cover the main purpose of the letter: you identify an online dress purchase, explain that it does not fit as expected, request a replacement, and mention the wedding on 9 June as the reason for urgency. However, the response addresses the task only partially because the details and explanations are very limited. For example, you do not give an order number, specify the size received, or clearly state what replacement size you need. The urgency is mentioned, but the short time between purchase and wedding is not explained in enough detail to make the request persuasive. The response is also 36 words below the required minimum. Add relevant purchase information and a fuller explanation of the problem and deadline.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas appear in a generally sensible order: purchase, fit problem, wedding deadline, and replacement request. This gives the reader the basic sequence of events. However, the letter is presented as a series of short, separate statements rather than as clearly organised paragraphs, so progression is limited. The link between the wedding and the need for a replacement could be made more explicit, and phrases such as “As its not fitting in” repeat the fit problem without adding information. Use a brief opening, a paragraph explaining the purchase and issue, and a closing paragraph with the request and deadline. Clear connectors such as “Unfortunately” and “As the wedding is only three days away” would make the relationships between ideas easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the central message, including “purchased,” “quality,” “replace,” and “at the earliest.” However, the range is limited, and several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors make the letter less clear or less professional. Examples include “madum,” “addres,” “repetedly,” and “earlies.” Some expressions are also unnatural for a formal complaint, such as “doing good,” “fit issue,” and “do the needful.” Choose precise, conventional phrases for online purchases and clothing problems, and check spelling carefully. A more formal vocabulary range would help you explain the defect and make a clear, courteous request without relying on repeated or vague wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response relies mainly on short, simple sentence patterns, with limited evidence of controlled complex structures. Several grammatical errors occur and sometimes make the meaning harder to follow. For instance, “according to chart it should fit to L but its not fitting out” has problems with articles, prepositions, and sentence construction; “As i am atordertending my friends wedding” is also difficult to interpret because the clause is not formed clearly. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including lowercase “i” and the run-on request beginning “As its not fitting in i request.” Practise forming complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and use a structure such as “Although the size chart indicated that a large would fit, the dress is too small.”

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