Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfication that I recieved from your store. I purchased a black leather jacket on tuesday ,7 July, 2026 for a special occassion.

When i wnet home and open the package i found it was ripped from inside. The zips were not functional and it looks small in size. I immediately went back to the store and spoke to one of your representative but I am quite dissapointed to inform that they refused to take the responsibility for damaged item. I recieved very poor customer service from your staff. As a result, it cause a considerable amount of inconvenience.

I would like you to take immediate action and resolve this matter. I could apprecitate if I get a full refund for the damaged jacket. I would like you to investigate this matter to avoid such incidents in the future. I hav

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: describing the damage, explaining the store's refusal to help, and stating the desired outcome. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint. However, the letter ends abruptly with an incomplete sentence ('I hav'), which leaves the final thought unfinished. While the main requirements are addressed, the lack of a proper closing and the incomplete final sentence prevent a higher score. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader understands the situation, but the development of the final point is hindered by the unfinished text.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, with each addressing a specific part of the task. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the purchase to the problem, the interaction with staff, and finally the request for action. Cohesive devices such as 'When', 'As a result', and 'I would like' are used to link ideas. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the overall flow and coherence of the final paragraph. Despite this, the structure remains functional and easy to follow throughout the majority of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their message clearly. There are some spelling errors, such as 'dissatisfication', 'recieved', 'occassion', 'wnet', and 'dissapointed'. These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the content. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and relies on basic descriptors. To improve, the student should focus on accurate spelling and incorporating more precise, formal vocabulary suitable for a letter of complaint.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('it cause' instead of 'it caused'), incorrect verb tense usage ('I could apprecitate' instead of 'I would appreciate'), and punctuation errors, such as the inconsistent capitalization of 'i' and 'wnet'. The incomplete final sentence is a significant grammatical failure. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and punctuation limits the score in this criterion.

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