Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-24

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 or Madam,

I hope this message find you well.Last Sunday I bought one t-shirt from your online shopping Application. I checked all photos and reviews about the item. I was extremly impressed of the details about clothing brand.It costed me 60$ with delivery charges. I got my order yesturday.

On the one hand material was fentastic but on the other hand size was too small for me that even I couldnot wear it. Although I picked medium in it, you sent me small size.

As we are planning to go on holiday, I need urgent replacement. I tried from your website but didnot get any option for return or exchange product. So I kindly request you to help me. I really liked the colour of the t-shirt so I do not want to loose it. I look forword to hearing from you. I would greatly appreciate if you could do exchange for me.

Thank you for your support.

Yours faithfully,

Aanal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter clearly covers all three required points: you identify the purchase and its cost, explain that you received a small size instead of the medium ordered, and state that you need an exchange before a holiday. The request is also clear and appropriately polite, especially in “I kindly request you to help me” and “I look forward to hearing from you.” These details make the purpose easy to understand. To strengthen the response further, develop the urgency more specifically—for example, say when you are leaving and why the replacement must arrive before then. You could also make the requested action more precise by asking the company to send a medium and explaining how you can return the incorrect item.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information follows a sensible order: purchase details, the sizing problem, and then the request for an urgent replacement. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages, and the closing is suitable for a formal letter. You also attempt to connect ideas with phrases such as “On the one hand” and “Although.” However, some linking is mechanical or does not express the relationship accurately: “On the one hand … on the other hand” is awkward for contrasting the material with the size, and “Although I picked medium …” is left without a clear main clause. Improve progression by using direct links such as “However” and “Although I ordered a medium, the item I received was small,” and keep the purchase details together in a more polished opening.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main points, including “delivery charges,” “replacement,” “return or exchange,” and “holiday.” The tone is generally appropriate for a customer-service letter, and the reader can understand the problem. However, several spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural combinations reduce accuracy, such as “extremly impressed of,” “fentastic,” and “loose it.” Some wording is also vague, including “one t-shirt” and “your online shopping Application.” Aim for more precise, natural phrases and check spelling carefully. For example, identify the item as “a T-shirt” and say that you were “impressed by the product details.” This would make the message sound more fluent and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including “Although I picked medium in it, you sent me small size” and “As we are planning to go on holiday, I need urgent replacement.” These structures help explain the problem and urgency, but errors in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction are noticeable. Examples include “I hope this message find you well,” “I bought one t-shirt,” and “I would greatly appreciate if you could do exchange for me.” The sentence beginning “Although” also needs a complete main clause. Use “I hope this message finds you well,” “I ordered a medium,” and “I would greatly appreciate it if you could exchange it for me.” Careful proofreading of sentence boundaries and punctuation would improve control.

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

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