Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-21

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 5.5)

Dear sir

Recently,I bought a jacket from your store and this jacket is absolutely beautiful .I was in hurry and could not examine it properly.When I came back to home after office what I saw . There was big whole in under arm . I was got disappointed after this experience. Then I thought to return it to your store and experience was commendable because he was totally disagree to return this jacket .He said this is not our fault and it can be spoiled in your own house .He was putting the all blame on me and did not want take any responsibility. He refused to return this jacket . His Behaviour was unacceptable .I just not want my money back but exchange this jacket as per store’s rules .I hope you will exchange this jacket and I am your regular customer.Often I recommend your store to others .Hoping to maintain your store’s legacy.

Respectfully

Kuldeep

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the problem is described, the negative experience at the store is explained, and a clear request for an exchange is made. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal complaint, although it occasionally lapses into informal phrasing. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To improve, ensure that the narrative flow is more professional and that the specific details of the interaction are presented with greater clarity to better persuade the manager.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow. IELTS letters should be structured into clear paragraphs: an introduction, body paragraphs for the specific points, and a conclusion. While there is a logical progression of ideas—from the purchase to the problem, then the store visit, and finally the desired outcome—the lack of paragraphing and the limited use of cohesive devices (such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'however') make the text feel somewhat disjointed and mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message, but it is somewhat basic and contains several errors in word choice and collocation. For example, 'big whole' should be 'large hole', and 'he was totally disagree' is grammatically incorrect. Phrases like 'experience was commendable' are used incorrectly in this context, as 'commendable' means praiseworthy, whereas you intended to describe a negative experience. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and ensuring correct word forms will help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with article usage ('the all blame'), verb tense consistency ('I was got disappointed'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple, and there is a lack of complex structures. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after commas and periods. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction limits the score in this criterion.

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

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