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/Madam,

I'm writing this correspondence to address the issue-I suffered while returning a product purchased from your store.

Yesterday, I bought a ZARA burgundy red jacket from the store. When I tried it in trial room the fitting and the material looks splendid to me and it was pleasing to my eyes. After a conversation with a staff-he mentioned the last 2 pieces are remaining. Hence, without a second thought I immediately got it for myself.

Later, when I reached home and I was eagerly waiting for my fiancé to showcase my jacket. When I opened the packaging the jacket chain was not working and the colour was also looking dull. I was embarrassed in front of her. Therefore, I thought to return it without wasting a second.

I came to the store and was speaking to a Customer service representative-he said the firm has no return/refund policy. I am a regular customer over here and my purpose of writing to you is to look into this matter. I expect a replacement if refund is not possible.

Your store holds a reputation in the market and also to me. Kindly live up to it and solve my issue.

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AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly described the damage to the jacket (broken chain and dull color), explained the negative interaction with the store representative, and stated your expectation for a replacement. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal complaint, although it occasionally veers into slightly informal territory (e.g., 'showcase my jacket'). The purpose of the letter is clear throughout, and the response is well-structured to meet the requirements of a formal letter to a manager.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Hence', and 'Later' to link your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally slightly mechanical. For example, the transition between the description of the jacket and the return attempt could be smoother. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the narrative of the purchase from the problem and the final request. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'correspondence', 'merchandise', and 'live up to it' are used appropriately. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'fitting... looks splendid to me' (should be 'looked') and 'I immediately got it for myself' (a bit informal). The use of 'chain' for a zipper is understandable but less precise. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, though it lacks the sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, particularly with verb tense consistency (e.g., 'the fitting and the material looks splendid' should be 'looked'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some awkward uses of hyphens and dashes where commas or periods would be more appropriate. Despite these errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the communication remains effective. To improve, focus on maintaining consistent past tense when narrating events that have already occurred.

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