Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-31

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,

My name is Priya Bhavana one of your regular customers.I have purchased a jacket from the store this morning and would like to report a problem with the replacement.

I bought a black colour Swiss leather jacket with yellow stripes worth of $250 around 12 pm today. And the piece I was provided was a brand new one which has seal on. When I got home I discovered it is slightly damaged near the collar. Right away I went back to the store for exchange.However, one of the store cashiers mentioned that the merchandise cannot be returned as it is a limited edition.I tried to convince her by showing the bill stating the time stamp. Even I tried reaching out to customer service but didn’t get a proper response.

I would like you to investigate this further and get back with a possible answer with an exchange option t or a cashback whichever would be fine.

Hope you will justify my time.

Yours sincerely,

Priya.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: the problem with the jacket is described, the interaction with the cashier is explained, and a clear request for a resolution is made. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal complaint, although it could be slightly more professional. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific details about the damage to the jacket or elaborate further on the desired outcome to ensure the manager has all necessary information to resolve the issue effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition between sentences could be smoother; phrases like 'Right away' and 'Even I tried' feel slightly informal or disjointed. The paragraphing is adequate, but the overall flow would benefit from a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect the narrative of the events more fluidly. The letter remains easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary used is sufficient for the task, allowing the student to convey their message clearly. There are some attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as 'limited edition' and 'time stamp'. However, there are minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'worth of $250' (should be 'worth $250') and 'get back with a possible answer' (which sounds slightly unnatural). The range is adequate for a General Training task, but incorporating more precise business-related vocabulary would elevate the response to a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('a black colour', 'the store'), punctuation issues (missing spaces after periods), and awkward phrasing ('the piece I was provided was a brand new one which has seal on'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede the reader's understanding of the situation. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles, as well as ensuring proper spacing after punctuation marks to improve the overall presentation.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.