Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-11

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or madam,

my name is Mehakpreet Singh and its been three years being customer of your store. Yesterday I bought a leather jacket from your store one of the new arrivals. Whem i tried to wear it at i discoverd that its been damaged from right underarm. I understand that these kind small issues are common in big production.

Hence, I tried to talk to one of your gentleman on customer care counter but I was told that the item cannot be returned, due to, strict policies of outlet.

Therefore, I am trying to make request for return or exchange. I hope you understand my situation because the jacket is quiet expensive and I am going to wear it on my parents' marriage anniversary.

Yours Faithfully,

Mehakpreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three required points: you identify damage beneath the jacket’s right underarm, explain that a staff member refused a return because of store policy, and request a return or exchange. The reason for wanting a resolution is also clear: the jacket is expensive and intended for your parents’ anniversary. However, some details are under-developed, particularly what you noticed about the damage and what outcome you prefer. The response is also 20 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to explain these points fully. To strengthen the letter, describe the defect more precisely and state whether you expect a refund or would accept an exchange, while keeping the tone appropriately formal.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear sequence: you introduce yourself and the purchase, describe the defect, recount the attempted return, and make your request. Linking expressions such as “Hence” and “Therefore” help show the relationship between events, and the closing is appropriate for a formal letter. The progression is easy to follow, though the letter is presented as one continuous block rather than separated into paragraphs. Some transitions also feel slightly mechanical. Use short paragraphs for the purchase and problem, the store’s response, and your requested action; this would make the organisation more polished while preserving the clear overall progression already present.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the situation, including “leather jacket,” “damaged,” “strict policies,” and “return or exchange.” There is also an attempt at more formal wording in “I am trying to make request.” However, several choices or spellings are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “Whem,” “quiet expensive,” “customer care counter,” and “one of your gentleman.” These do not prevent the reader from understanding the main message, but they reduce precision and naturalness. Aim for standard collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, “quite expensive” and “customer service desk” would be more idiomatic, while “a member of staff” avoids the awkward phrasing about the employee.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The letter includes both simple statements and attempts at more complex structures, such as “I hope you understand my situation because the jacket is…” The main events remain understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “its been three years being customer” needs a clearer construction, and “when I tried to wear it at I discovered” contains an incomplete or misplaced phrase. There are also issues with articles and sentence boundaries in “make request for return or exchange.” Use a wider range of accurately controlled sentence patterns, and proofread for complete clauses, articles, and punctuation. These corrections would make the message smoother without changing its meaning.

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

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