Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-28

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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to complain about a piece of item I bought from your house and after service I experienced.

I got a red color leather jacket was $ 599. I was very delighted after buying this jacket as I wanted to have it for quite long time. When I reached home, I got to know that its front zip is not working properly and side pockets are totally damaged from inside.

I frequently visited your house & I know you have a Two week return or exchange policy. When I took it back to your store they said it cannot be returned. I requested them that either exchange it or return it, but the lady was very rude and ask me you should check these things while buying it.

I request you to exchange it or make repairs if possible because it is quite expensive for me. You are sales staff should be trained to behave politely.

I am looking forward to hear from you.

Thank you.

You are faithfully

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: describing the jacket's defects, explaining the negative experience at the store, and stating the desired resolution. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited; for instance, the explanation of the store's refusal could be more detailed to better convey the frustration of the situation. Despite this, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader is left in no doubt about the writer's intentions. All parts of the task are addressed, meeting the requirements for a solid performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from the purchase to the problem, the store interaction, and finally the requested action. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'When I reached home' and 'I requested them that', though some transitions are slightly mechanical. The use of paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. While the flow is generally smooth, the connection between sentences could be improved with a wider variety of linking words to enhance the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate the situation clearly. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'a piece of item' instead of 'an item' and 'from your house' instead of 'from your store'. The use of 'delighted' and 'frequently' shows an attempt to use a broader range of vocabulary. However, there are minor errors in word choice and collocation that slightly detract from the professional tone. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message, but lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'I got a red color leather jacket was $ 599' (missing relative pronoun/verb structure) and 'You are sales staff' (incorrect pronoun usage). Punctuation is generally functional, though the closing 'You are faithfully' is incorrect; it should be 'Yours faithfully'. These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. To improve, the writer should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and pronouns in formal writing.

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