Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my disappointment regarding a Halloween costume that I purchased on 20 October from your website. It was a Bat Man dress that I bought for my husband.

Moving on, the quality of the dress was not appropriate at it is showed in the picture. After wearing the costume, we were realized that the size was not accurate. In the description of the product, it said it was good in size for a 164cm tall person but it was not.

Additionally, The Halloween party will be conducted on 05 November which is quite close now. I would request you to replace the dress as soon as possible. I did exchange request online that demonstrates it will take more than 14 days. However, we have only seven days left to the party. We tried to buy other costume in person, there is lack of supplies for special costumes in the market due to high demand of Halloween costumes.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I would appreciate your positive response.

Kind regards,

Dilpreet Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three requirements clearly: it identifies the purchase as a Batman costume bought online on 20 October, explains that the size and quality did not match the product description, and gives a convincing reason for urgency by mentioning the party on 5 November and the exchange delay. The details about the unsuccessful search for another costume also support the request. The purpose and desired outcome are clear throughout, and the formal opening and closing suit the situation. To make the response even more complete, specify the exact replacement size or ask the company to confirm when it can be delivered. This would make the requested action more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information follows a sensible order: purchase details, the problem, then the urgent replacement request and its justification. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and links such as “Additionally” and “However” guide the reader through the explanation. The overall arrangement is coherent, though some transitions feel mechanical: “Moving on” is not especially natural in a formal complaint, and “Additionally” begins a point that is more directly connected to the deadline. The reference in “it was not” could also be clearer about whether the costume’s size or its suitability was inaccurate. More natural transitions and clearer references would make the progression smoother and more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for a complaint and communicates the key details, with useful phrases such as “express my disappointment,” “replace the dress,” and “high demand.” There are also attempts at more formal wording, including “consideration” and “positive response.” However, some choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “Bat Man dress” is better expressed as “Batman costume,” “good in size” is unclear, and “lack of supplies” is less idiomatic than “limited availability.” “Conducted” is also an awkward choice for a party. These issues do not prevent understanding, but more precise collocations and consistent product terminology would strengthen the letter’s naturalness and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and more developed sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which is quite close now” and a conditional-style explanation of the product description. The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors are present. For example, “at it is showed” has an incorrect clause structure and verb form; “we were realized” uses an unnecessary auxiliary; and “I did exchange request online” is missing a grammatical structure such as “I submitted an exchange request.” Capitalisation is also inconsistent in “The Halloween party.” Review verb forms, articles, and sentence construction, while retaining the clear mix of sentence types already attempted.

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

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