Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-03

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 5.0)

Dear Sir,

I recently buy a jacket from a store.On that day,I was little exuasted from my office work.So I didnot check the jacket properly and when I bought it and bring to home. I checked it there was a big hole inside the jacket from top it seems okay and there was no fault from looking front that why i bought it in hurry time. Now I look it totally runied my mood. Then i went back to the store and giving it back but the store worker not taking it back .Thats why I wrote a letter to you tha you return my money back or returned the jacket and change it by a new jacket. I hope so you understand my situation and make the decision about the returning a jacket.It was a great work you done and kindly made a note that if there was a fault in jacket you returned back with alternate new jacket.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: describing the problem, explaining the return attempt, and stating your desired outcome. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. The description of the jacket's damage is a bit vague, and the explanation of the store's refusal is brief. To improve, you should provide more specific details, such as the date of purchase or the specific nature of the damage, and use a more formal tone appropriate for a letter to a manager. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the overall tone is inconsistent with the formal requirements of a complaint letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks clear paragraphing, which is essential for a formal letter. The ideas are presented in a single block, making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of your argument. While you use some basic cohesive devices like 'Then' and 'That's why', the transitions between sentences are often abrupt or mechanical. To reach a higher band, you should organize your letter into distinct paragraphs: one for the introduction and problem, one for the return attempt, and one for the proposed solution. Improving the use of linking words would also help the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, which restricts your ability to express your situation clearly. There are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'exuasted' (exhausted), 'runied' (ruined), and 'alternate' (alternative). You rely on basic vocabulary throughout the letter. To improve, try to incorporate more precise language related to retail and customer service, such as 'defective', 'refund', 'exchange', and 'policy'. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you convey your message with greater accuracy and professionalism.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout your response, including issues with verb tenses ('I recently buy'), sentence structure, and punctuation. Many sentences are run-on or fragmented, such as 'So I didnot check the jacket properly and when I bought it and bring to home.' You rely almost exclusively on simple sentence structures. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and tense consistency. Additionally, try to incorporate a wider variety of sentence structures, such as complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions like 'although', 'because', or 'which', to demonstrate better grammatical control.

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