Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-07

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 this to file a complaint about one of the jacket that i bought two days ago from your shop but after looking at the jacket i found it was damaged and when i came to return your staff refused to give refund.

The jacket looks good and classy but after returning home when I checked it closely I found that there was a big hole near the arms. So, I decided to go back to the shop immediately and exchange it.

The salesperson refused to take it back even though I explained that the damage was not my fault, it was from your manufacturer. Even, after I gave my explanation they still refused and not provided any alternative solution.

I want your help as it was not my fault. So, if you can provide me with any solution either exchange or provide me with a refund as it was really very expensive jacket.

Thanks for your time and looking forward for a response

Yours faithfully,

Harjas

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: describing the damage, explaining the refusal of the return, and stating the desired outcome. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal complaint. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of the store's refusal is repetitive, and the description of the jacket's damage could be more precise. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the response would benefit from more specific details, such as the date of purchase or the specific store location, to better meet the requirements of a formal business letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with each paragraph focusing on one of the required points. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic and repetitive (e.g., 'So', 'Even'). The transition between the description of the problem and the interaction with the staff is functional but lacks sophisticated linking words. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the letter follows a standard formal structure, which helps the reader navigate the content effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'looks good and classy' and 'really very expensive' are somewhat informal and repetitive. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'not provided any alternative solution' (should be 'did not provide'). While the student successfully conveys the message, the range of vocabulary is limited to common, everyday words. To achieve a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to retail and customer service.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'one of the jacket' (should be 'jackets'), 'i' (should be capitalized 'I'), and 'not provided' (should be 'did not provide'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage and sentence boundaries. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent capitalization.

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

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