Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-22

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/Ma,

I am writing this letter to inform you in regard to the unfortunate incident that happened to me at your store in Golf branch. Your sales staff refused to accept the damage jacket I bought from your shop yesterday, Tuesday to be precised.

In all honesty, the issue with the jacket is that the collar has been torn which is very visible. I wanted to tried to wear it to the occasion I purposely bought but it was too obvious to be worn

I returned it immediately it was noticed, but your sales representative told me rudely that your company do not accept returned products.

I would want the manager to tried and adjust the rules because I used all my

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the damage, explaining the return attempt, and stating the desired outcome. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. The final paragraph is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which prevents a full resolution of the task. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the lack of length and the unfinished nature of the conclusion mean that the task is only partially addressed. To improve, ensure you expand on the details of the incident and provide a complete, well-structured conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the abrupt ending makes the overall structure feel incomplete. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In all honesty' and 'I returned it immediately', but the flow is somewhat mechanical. The transition between the description of the damage and the return attempt is logical, but the lack of a proper closing statement due to the incomplete text hinders the overall coherence of the piece. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring a complete structure would improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, though it is somewhat repetitive and basic. Phrases like 'unfortunate incident' and 'sales representative' are appropriate for a formal letter. However, there are errors in word choice and form, such as 'damage jacket' (should be 'damaged jacket') and 'to be precised' (should be 'to be precise'). The range is limited, and the errors occasionally draw attention to the language rather than the message. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise adjectives and formal business collocations would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that impact the quality of the writing. Examples include 'I wanted to tried to wear it' (should be 'I wanted to try to wear it'), 'your company do not accept' (should be 'does not accept'), and 'I would want the manager to tried' (should be 'to try'). These errors in verb tense and subject-verb agreement are noticeable. While the meaning is generally understandable, the control over complex structures is weak. Focusing on basic sentence accuracy and correcting common verb form errors will help improve your grammatical range and accuracy.

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

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