Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-30

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 writing with reference to my recent purchase of formal shirt from Gul Ahmed Store website, but the product displayed on website is different which received online.

Along with difference in colour and shirt stiching is bad, also dirt on it.

i havent expect such bad delivery product to consumer end, your Gul Ahmed is reputed store in market.

purchase date 28 October 2026, shirt size is 15.5 color size

Problem is change of artical delivered not same as ordered, item is not stiched well.

thread string all over in shirt.

As bought this formal shirt because of regular use for office going, I need an urgent replacement

Therefore, I am resending you via courier, In order to proceed for replacement.

Keeping in mind, I sending this return after seconed day of my purchase.

Please guide when you will send replacement shirt particular to my order and better quality not the reject one.

Regards

Asad

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three required points: you identify the purchase as a formal shirt from the Gul Ahmed website, describe differences in colour and poor stitching, and explain that you need it for regular office use. You also request a replacement and ask when it will be sent. These details make the purpose clear and relevant. However, some information is unclear or not fully developed: “size is 15.5 color size” is difficult to interpret, and the return and replacement process is described without clearly stating whether you have already sent the shirt or are asking for instructions. Clarifying the order details and making the requested action explicit would make the letter more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter has a recognisable sequence: purchase details, problems, urgency, and a request for replacement. Paragraph breaks help separate these points, and expressions such as “Therefore” and “As” attempt to connect ideas. However, progression is not consistently smooth. The opening combines the purchase and complaint in one awkward sentence, while the separate “Problem is” paragraph repeats the stitching issue rather than advancing the explanation. The return information is also confusing: “I am resending you via courier” is followed by “I sending this return.” Group the purchase details together, describe all defects in one paragraph, then explain the urgency and state clearly what action you expect. This would create a clearer overall progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for a complaint, including “formal shirt,” “replacement,” “courier,” “reputed store,” and “quality,” so the reader can generally understand the situation. However, the range is limited and several word choices, collocations, and spelling errors make parts difficult to interpret. For example, “change of artical delivered” and “shirt stiching is bad” do not express the problem naturally, while “color size” is unclear. “Reject one” is also an imprecise way to describe the quality you do not want. Use standard complaint vocabulary and check spelling; precise phrases such as “the item differs from the one I ordered” and “loose threads” would communicate the defects more clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including “As bought this formal shirt because of regular use for office going, I need an urgent replacement.” However, the complex construction is faulty, and several sentences have problems with articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries. For instance, “the product displayed on website is different which received online” lacks a clear grammatical connection, and “I havent expect” uses an incorrect verb form. The sentence beginning “Along with difference” is also incomplete. These errors sometimes make the reader work to understand your meaning. Practise complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check tense and articles, for example: “I bought this shirt for regular office wear, so I need a replacement urgently.”

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