Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-15

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)

I am writing to complaint about a jacket that I purchased from your store last week unfortunately it is jio was not working after I bought it home.

Initially the jacket was good.however the jip was not working and staff was not good quality. I contacted your customer service,but I did receive any useful assistance. The problem has not been resolved.

As the appliance is it I’ll under warranty I would appreciate it if you could arrange either the replacement at earliest convenience if neither option is post I would like to receive a full refund. I have attached a copy of receipt for you reference.

I look forward to your response and hope this matter can be resolved quickly.

Your faithfully

Amandeep Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points, but the development is insufficient due to the brevity of the response. The word count is significantly below the 150-word requirement, which limits the depth of the explanation regarding the jacket's defect and the interaction at the store. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the lack of detail makes the communication feel rushed and incomplete. To improve, you should expand on the specific nature of the damage and provide more context regarding your experience at the store to meet the length requirement and fully develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is hindered by a lack of cohesive devices and some awkward transitions. For instance, the jump from describing the jacket to mentioning customer service is abrupt. While there is a basic attempt at paragraphing, the logical progression is weak. The use of linking words is minimal, and some sentences are disjointed. To improve, use a wider variety of cohesive devices such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'in addition' to connect your ideas more smoothly and ensure the reader can follow your argument without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and contains several errors that impede clarity, such as 'jio' instead of 'zip' and 'appliance' to describe a jacket. The phrase 'staff was not good quality' is also unnatural. There is little evidence of a range of vocabulary beyond basic, functional language. To achieve a higher band, you need to use more precise terminology related to retail and clothing, and ensure that your word choices are accurate and appropriate for the context of a formal complaint letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with sentence structure, punctuation, and word order. Examples include 'I am writing to complaint' (should be 'complain'), 'I did receive any useful assistance' (should be 'did not'), and 'if neither option is post' (should be 'possible'). The misuse of articles and verb tenses is also noticeable. The sentence structures are mostly simple, and the errors occasionally make the meaning difficult to grasp. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like verb forms and missing negatives will help improve your score.

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

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