Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-02

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 or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to inform you that I bought some clothing online, and I am not satisfied with it.

I purchased the clothes online on October 2, 2026. The receipt number is [redacted phone]. I bought the clothes in the Shein application; this is one of the most popular applications for shopping for clothes online. I believe that their items are of good quality and proven for all customers because I saw the review in their platform it was a good rates.

When my items arrived at my place, I noticed there was damage to the box, and when I opened the box, the clothes were too big, and the quality was different. However, this is not what I expected because I trust this owner.

I would like to ask for a replacement or a refund for my items. I am looking forward to your reply. Thank you for your time and assistance.

Yours sincerely,

Faith Navarra

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the purchase date and receipt number, describe two problems—the clothes were too large and their quality differed from what you expected—and request a replacement or refund. However, the task is only partially addressed: the reason you need a replacement urgently is not explained at all, and the request for a refund also makes your preferred outcome unclear. Some details, such as the general praise of the shopping app and its reviews, do not help resolve the complaint. To strengthen the letter, state which items need replacing, explain the time-sensitive reason (for example, an upcoming event), and specify the action you want the company to take.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: an opening, purchase details, a description of the problem, and a closing request. Paragraph breaks help the reader follow these stages, and phrases such as “When my items arrived” signal a change in focus. However, the progression is weakened by the lengthy aside about the app’s popularity and customer reviews, which interrupts the complaint. The link between the damaged box and the clothes being too large or lower quality is also not made clear. Organise the purchase information more directly, then explain each problem and its consequence before making a specific request. This would make the letter’s purpose easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main complaint, including “receipt number,” “damage,” “quality,” “replacement,” and “refund.” There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “items arrived.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “proven for all customers,” “a good rates,” and “I trust this owner” do not express your meaning clearly. “Clothes” and “items” are also repeated. Choose precise complaint language, such as saying the product “did not match the description” or that you “expected better quality.” More natural phrasing would make the message sound clearer and more professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more developed sentence forms, and most of the message remains understandable. For example, “When my items arrived at my place, I noticed there was damage to the box” combines a time clause with a main clause effectively. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in the sentence about reviews: “I saw the review in their platform it was a good rates” joins clauses without suitable punctuation and has problems with article and number agreement. “The clothes were too big” is clear, but the later reference to “this owner” is grammatically awkward in context. Use full stops or conjunctions to separate ideas, and check articles and singular/plural forms.

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