Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-05

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,

How are you?. I hope you are doing well. I am writing to express my disappointment regarding a jacket I purchased from your store before two weeks. When I arrived home and unboxed the jacket, i found noticed the front zip is not working properly, it can only run half of the way. The damage was noticeable at the store, the reason behind of that, salesman gave fresh piece which was fully packed.

However, when I went to store in order to return the jacket, the staff refused to return it and they informed me that there is not refund or return policy at the store. I explained them that the items was already defective at the timing of purchase, but I was still not get the exchange.

I kindly request that please consider my situation as it is one of expensive article under your brand. I hope you will provide me either refund or exchange whatever will works.

Your faithfully,

John Hortons.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: describing the defect, explaining the store's refusal, and stating the desired outcome. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation regarding why the damage was not noticed at the store is slightly confusingly phrased ('the reason behind of that, salesman gave fresh piece'). While the purpose is clear, the response would benefit from more precise language to ensure the manager understands the situation immediately. Overall, it fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. There is a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However' and 'When I arrived', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, although the flow between the description of the problem and the store visit could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the complaint, which contributes to the overall coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the necessary information. There are some instances of awkward phrasing or minor errors, such as 'expensive article' instead of 'expensive item' and 'at the timing of purchase' instead of 'at the time of purchase'. While the range is sufficient to communicate the message, it lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band. The use of 'unboxed' and 'defective' shows an attempt to use more specific vocabulary, which is positive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'purchased... before two weeks' (should be 'two weeks ago'), 'i found noticed' (redundant), and 'there is not refund' (should be 'there is no refund'). Additionally, there are issues with verb tense and article usage, such as 'the items was' and 'I was still not get'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede the overall meaning of the letter. A greater focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and tense consistency would improve the score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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