Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-28

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 5.5)

DEAR SIR,

I am writtung to express my concern that i bought a clothes from online store regardin a matter which i belive warrants your arrgent attention.

To provide some context the size of short small.The size of my shirt is extra large.This took place on a last monday at 12PM and regrattably the suitation has since worsened.As a result i have been put to considerable inconvience. Which i am sure you will be understand is far form satisfatory.I need my shirt very urgently.Because I attend a marrige ceremony of my friend.

In light of the above, i would be very greatful if you could arrange for a new extra large shirt at your earliest convenience. I would be willilg to eccpet as a resonable compromise.

i would appreciate a written response outlining the steps you intend to take. thankyou for your time and attenion to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Naqeebullah

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address the main requirements by identifying an online clothing purchase, explaining that the shorts and shirt are the wrong sizes, and requesting a replacement. You also give a clear reason for urgency: attending your friend’s wedding. However, some details are unclear or incomplete. For example, “the size of short small” does not explain what size you ordered or received, and the purchase details are limited, with no clear company or order information. The proposed compromise, “I would be willing to accept as a reasonable compromise,” is unfinished because you do not say what you would accept. Clarifying these points and developing the request would make the letter more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure: it opens with the complaint, gives context and the urgency, then makes a request and closes politely. Phrases such as “As a result” and “In light of the above” help connect the ideas. However, the progression is sometimes disrupted by unclear or incomplete sentences, particularly “To provide some context the size of short small” and “I would be willing to accept as a reasonable compromise.” The abrupt sentence beginning “Because I attend…” also weakens the flow from the urgency statement. Use clear paragraphing for the purchase/problem, urgency, and requested action, and ensure each linking phrase introduces a complete, logically connected idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a suitably formal range, including “express my concern,” “warrants your urgent attention,” “considerable inconvenience,” and “written response outlining the steps you intend to take.” These choices show awareness of the tone needed for a complaint. However, spelling and word-choice errors are frequent enough to make parts of the letter less clear, such as “writtung,” “arrgent,” “su itation,” and “eccpet.” Some expressions are also unnatural or imprecise: “a clothes,” “the size of short small,” and “a reasonable compromise” without specifying the compromise. Check spelling carefully and choose direct, natural phrases such as “I ordered a small pair of shorts, but…” and “I would appreciate a replacement shirt.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple statements and attempts at more complex structures, including “I am writing to express my concern that…” and “I would be very grateful if you could arrange…”. The request form is appropriate, and the overall meaning can generally be followed. However, some grammatical errors affect clarity: “I bought a clothes” has an incorrect article and noun form; “The size of my shirt is extra large” does not clearly express the sizing problem; and “Which I am sure you will be understand” is not a complete, correctly formed clause. The sentence beginning “Because I attend…” is also a fragment. Aim to make each sentence complete, check articles and verb forms, and use punctuation to separate connected ideas accurately.

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

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