Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-12

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/ Madam,

I am writing to express my disappointment regarding your return policy. I recently purchased a leather jacket from your store but when I reached home I discovered that the jacket's leather was damaged from the back side. And when I took it back to the store I was told that the merchandise cannot be returned.

I bought a leather jacket of $200 from your store last week and today I was going to wear it for a special occasion but I discovered that the leather of the jacket is worn off from the backside and it looks so ugly that I cannot wear it.

I came to store today in the morning to return it but the sales person told me that merchandise cannot be returned yet the tags are not removed and its totally untouched.

I would really appreciate for your help if you would exchange my jacket with the same price of another cloth or if you could help me to repair it as I have already spended a large amount of money for buying it and its not my fault overall.

Hoping to hear back from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Sam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly described the damage to the leather jacket, explained the interaction with the store staff, and proposed a clear resolution. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that the details are more concise; for example, the repetition of the jacket's condition in the second and third paragraphs could be streamlined to allow for a more professional flow. Overall, the purpose of the letter is fully achieved and the reader is left in no doubt about the situation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'And when' and 'I would really appreciate', which help the flow. However, the transition between the first and second paragraphs is slightly repetitive, as you restate the purchase details. To improve, use more varied linking words or phrases to connect your ideas, such as 'Furthermore' or 'Consequently', rather than relying on simple conjunctions. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the problem, the experience, and the desired outcome.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'disappointment', 'merchandise', and 'occasion'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'spended' (should be 'spent') and 'exchange my jacket with the same price of another cloth' (which is slightly unnatural; 'exchange for another item of equal value' would be better). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on more formal collocations for business correspondence will enhance your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'spended' instead of 'spent', 'its' instead of 'it's', and 'I came to store' (missing the article 'the'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'the leather of the jacket is worn off'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses and article usage, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures with greater accuracy.

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

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