Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently bought a jacket, but when you got home, you discovered it was
damaged. When you took it back to the store, you were told that merchandise
cannot be returned.

Write a letter to the store manager. In your letter:
• describe the problem with the jacket.
• explain what happened when you tried to return it.
• say what you would like the manager to do.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 4.5)

Hope you are doing well.

I am going to write about an issue with a winter jacket which was purchased by me ,yesterday from your store. Unfortunatlly I could not see the tear part of jacket during the shopping. Actully, I went to the store after my work around 4:35 pm, it was almost closing time. I bought nine items. All are perfect except one jacket blue in colour. It is torn and one bottom buttun is missing. Today I went to the store for requisting to return it

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the central problem: the jacket is torn and missing a button, and it begins to explain that you returned to the store. However, it stops before saying what the staff told you, so the second bullet point is not completed. It also does not state what you want the manager to do, leaving a key part of the task unanswered. The details about buying nine items and arriving near closing time are relevant context, but they do not replace a clear request, such as a refund or exchange. The response is also 61 words below the required minimum, which leaves the letter substantially incomplete. Develop all three points and finish with a suitable closing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic sequence: you introduce the purchase, describe the jacket’s defects, and then begin to explain your return attempt. This gives the reader some sense of the events. However, the response ends abruptly at “Today I went to the store for requisting to return it,” so there is no progression to the outcome or your requested solution. The ideas are presented in one block, with no clear paragraphing or closing, and the opening “Hope you are doing well” does not connect smoothly to the purpose of a formal complaint. Organise the letter into short paragraphs for the purchase and damage, the return attempt, and your request, using clear links such as “When I returned it” and “I would therefore like”.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the main issue, including “winter jacket,” “torn,” and “missing,” and the colour and purchase details help identify the item. However, the range is limited, and several spelling or word-choice errors make the letter less clear or less appropriate for a formal complaint: “Unfortunatlly,” “Actully,” “buttun,” and “requisting.” Phrases such as “write about an issue” and “the tear part of jacket” are also awkward; more precise wording would make the complaint sound clearer and more natural. Build a small set of accurate expressions for describing damage and requesting a remedy, and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response uses some simple sentence forms and attempts a longer sentence to explain when the purchase took place. However, grammatical control is uneven. For example, “which was purchased by me ,yesterday from your store” has an awkward passive construction and incorrect punctuation, while “I could not see the tear part of jacket” is missing an article and has an unclear structure. “All are perfect except one jacket” also shifts tense from the past purchase to the present. Most sentences follow a basic pattern, so the range remains limited. Practise direct, accurate constructions such as “I bought the jacket yesterday” and “I did not notice the tear while shopping,” and use consistent past tense when recounting the events.

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