Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-23

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,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to describe the damage I got in the jacket that I just bought from your store and was neglected by your store to return it.

I bought a jeckt from your store on my birthday two days ago and when I came home, I wanted to show it to my mother. When I open it, I noticed a big hole at the back side of the jecket. Also, the left side arm button was broken. It was really heartbreaking for me as it was a gift by my young brother.

We immediatly went back to the shop, but the shopkeeper neglected to return it even after showing him the bill. It is really expensive and my brother spent his whole savings on it. if the jecket would not be changed or returned, the loss would be huge.

I would be appreciated if you will give a possible solution of the problem either by returning it or refunding the cost. I hope you will consider my request and replay back as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,

Harpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all three bullet points of the task: describing the damage, explaining the refusal of the return, and stating the desired outcome. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. While the situation is clear, the explanation of the store's refusal could be more detailed to fully meet the requirements of a higher band. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the reader is left in no doubt about the writer's intentions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Also', 'but', and 'if', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The use of referencing is generally clear, although the opening sentence is a bit convoluted, which slightly affects the flow. Overall, the structure is sufficient to guide the reader through the narrative of the problem and the requested solution.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several spelling errors, such as 'jeckt', 'jecket', 'immediatly', and 'replay'. These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited; for example, the word 'neglected' is used incorrectly in the context of a store refusing a return (a better choice would be 'refused'). While the student attempts to use some descriptive language, the overall lexical control is inconsistent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the damage I got in the jacket' (should be 'the damage to the jacket') and 'I would be appreciated' (should be 'I would appreciate'). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are occasionally problematic, such as 'if the jecket would not be changed' (conditional structure error). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the letter, and the errors do not significantly hinder the reader's understanding.

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

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