Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-27

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)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction regarding the purchase that I made on 29th March. I bought a jacket from your website. However, I was wondering whether this shirt is branded or copy. When I washed it especially the colour went blurrish and the size got shrinked.

I usually wash new clothes before I wear, but I was perfect in size afterward it felt tight to me, which caused a damage from the narrow corner. Moreover, the zip wont work properly as it was perfect if I closed it till chest afterthat, I was not be able to close. Therefore, whole appearance looks bad.

I would appreciate it if you could either give me a replacement or full refund so that I can buy different jacket for my upcoming marriage occassion. This would ensure customer satisfaction and maintain the credibility of your brand.

Thank for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a timely resolution.

Yours sincerely,

Gurdeep Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three required points: you identify the purchase and date, describe several faults, and explain that you need a replacement for an upcoming marriage occasion. The request for “a replacement or full refund” is clear and appropriate, and the formal opening and closing suit the purpose. The problem description is relevant, but some details are unclear—for example, “I was wondering whether this shirt is branded or copy” does not explain what evidence made you doubt its authenticity, and the account of the size change and damage is difficult to follow. The urgency is present, but could be developed by stating the event date and why a replacement is needed by then. More precise, fully explained details would strengthen the letter further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable letter structure, with an opening purpose, a paragraph describing the faults, a request, and a polite closing. Sequencing is generally logical, and connectors such as “However,” “Moreover,” and “Therefore” help show relationships between points. Some links are less effective because the ideas within the second paragraph are crowded together: the washing, change in fit, damage, zip problem, and appearance are presented in one sequence without clear separation. Phrases such as “afterthat” also make the progression harder to follow. To make the organisation more controlled, give each problem its own clear sentence and use references such as “the jacket” consistently, so the reader can follow each point without having to infer connections.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use vocabulary relevant to a complaint, including “dissatisfaction,” “replacement,” “refund,” and “credibility,” and the reader can understand the main concerns. There is some attempt at more formal phrasing, particularly in “I would appreciate it if” and “timely resolution.” However, several inaccurate or unnatural choices reduce precision: “blurrish” is not the usual word for a garment losing colour, “shrinked” is an incorrect form, and “narrow corner” does not clearly describe the damage. “Marriage occassion” also contains a spelling error and is less natural than “wedding.” Aim for accurate collocations and standard forms, especially when describing product defects, so your vocabulary communicates the complaint clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including the conditional request “I would appreciate it if you could…” and a reason introduced by “so that.” The overall message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors make parts of the description difficult to interpret. For example, “I was perfect in size afterward it felt tight to me” has unclear clause structure, while “I was not be able to close” uses an incorrect verb form. The sentence beginning “as it was perfect if I closed it” also combines clauses in a way that obscures the meaning. Review past-tense forms and build longer sentences around one clear main clause, using punctuation to separate additional information. This would improve accuracy while preserving your attempts at varied structures.

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

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