Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-01

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 Madam,

I am writing to complain about the product as well as the customer service of your store. I am extremely disappointed with your service.

Recently, I purchased a black leather jacket from your store and also tried it on in store whereas, everything looked perfect so I bought it. However, I went back home, tried the jacket on again and realize the leather of the jacket was not in a good condition from inside , also the leather’s colour was little faded. Next day, I came back to the store with the jacket and receipt to return it but the store associate refused to return it and was rude to me.

I would really appreciate if you help me returning the product if possible. I would also consider an exchange of the product if your store has no return policy.

Looking forward to hear back from you.

Sincerely,

Anmol

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: describing the damage, explaining the interaction with the staff, and stating the desired outcome. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat brief. For instance, the description of the damage ('not in a good condition from inside', 'colour was little faded') is functional but lacks detail. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific information about the jacket or the interaction with the staff to better illustrate the situation. Nevertheless, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader is left in no doubt about the situation or the requested action.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some basic cohesive devices like 'However' and 'Next day' to link sentences. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited, and the transition between the description of the problem and the interaction with the staff could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure supports the message effectively. To improve, try to use a wider range of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. You use some relevant terms such as 'merchandise', 'receipt', and 'exchange'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'tried it on in store whereas, everything looked perfect' (the use of 'whereas' is incorrect here) and 'help me returning' (should be 'help me return'). The range of vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks the variety and precision that would characterize a higher band score. Focusing on more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'realize the leather... was' (should be 'realized'), 'colour was little faded' (should be 'a little faded'), and 'Looking forward to hear' (should be 'hearing'). These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses, article usage, and the correct forms of verbs following certain phrases. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will also be beneficial.

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