Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-25

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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my strong dissatisfaction with some clothing I purchased online from your store recently. Unfortunately, I witnessed a big hole in a jacket, which has caused considerable inconvenience.

I ordered few jackets and some costumes for halloween haunt from your website approximately two weeks ago. It was listed as limited time offer, so I didn't think twice to buy it. Moreover, the website guaranteed three days delivery, which seemed to be a congenial offer.

As halloween is coming up soon, I relied totally on your store for my costumes. Unfortunately, the jacket that had a print of skelton was completely torn and had a big hole in it, which made it unfit to wear. Although the website guaranteed three days delivery, the package arrived 2 days later than promised. Moreover, I am concerned that missing costumes will prevent me from attending halloween fest this year.

I would appreciate it if you could arrange a replacement urgently as I need these costumes in 2 days for fest. Additionally, I would be grateful if you could ensure that the product is thoroughly inspected before dispatch. Moreover, I would like to request the explanation for delivery delay.

I look forward to your prompt response and a satisfactory resolution to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Sukhdeep kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three requirements clearly: you identify the online purchase, describe the damaged jacket and late delivery, and explain that you need replacement costumes within two days for the Halloween event. The request for an urgent replacement is direct, and asking for an explanation of the delay adds a relevant detail. Your ideas are well developed through the connection between the damaged item and your plans. One small point to clarify is whether the whole order was missing or only the jacket was damaged: “missing costumes” could suggest a separate problem, while the rest of the letter focuses on a torn jacket. Making that distinction explicit would remove the only minor ambiguity.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The message follows a sensible sequence: complaint, purchase details, description of the problem, and requested action. Paragraphing helps the reader follow these stages, and the closing is appropriate. You also use linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “Although,” and “Additionally” to connect information. However, “Moreover” appears several times, making some transitions feel mechanical, and the delivery delay is repeated in adjacent parts without a clear new purpose. The reference to “missing costumes” also interrupts the focus on the damaged jacket. To strengthen progression, group the order and delivery facts together, then explain the damage and urgency, using a wider range of less conspicuous links or simply allowing the ideas to follow naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for a formal complaint, including “strong dissatisfaction,” “considerable inconvenience,” “replacement urgently,” and “thoroughly inspected before dispatch.” These choices communicate the seriousness of the issue and the action you expect. There are also some inaccurate or unnatural choices that keep the vocabulary from sounding consistently precise: “witnessed a big hole” is not the natural way to describe discovering damage, and “congenial offer” does not fit a delivery promise. Spelling errors in “skelton” and “halloween” also affect accuracy. Choose more idiomatic wording and check spelling, especially for key details such as the item and event.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The letter includes a useful mix of simple and complex structures, and several sentences are controlled well, such as “Although the website guaranteed three days delivery, the package arrived 2 days later than promised.” The conditional request, “I would appreciate it if you could arrange a replacement,” is also effective and appropriately formal. Some grammatical errors remain, including the missing article in “I ordered few jackets,” the awkward construction “a jacket … was completely torn and had a big hole in it,” and “request the explanation,” where the article is not used naturally. These do not prevent understanding, but proofreading articles and sentence phrasing would make the otherwise clear grammar more consistently accurate.

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

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