Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-25

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 Store Manager,

I hope this letter finds you well,

I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction at the store while returning one jacket due to manufacturing fault.

Actually, I purchased one brand new black premium jacket from your store on Sunday, 23rd of August, but unfortunately when I reached at my Home, I Found out that one of the seam in the backside was unstitched very badly and the fabric Inside the jacket which makes the jacket warm coming out from that place.

I was very disappointed at the time when one of your employee straightly refused to listen my problem, even I explained the whole story in details.

I really appreciate if I get an appro

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is significantly under-length at 120 words and remains incomplete. While the letter addresses the three bullet points—describing the jacket's defect, the refusal of the return, and the desired resolution—the final paragraph is cut off mid-sentence. This prevents the candidate from fully developing the ideas or providing a complete, coherent conclusion. To improve, the candidate must ensure all parts of the prompt are fully addressed and that the letter is brought to a logical, complete close within the required word limit.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter shows a basic attempt at paragraphing, but the abrupt ending severely impacts the overall flow and coherence. The use of cohesive devices is limited; for example, the transition between the description of the problem and the interaction with the employee is somewhat mechanical. The logical progression is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the text. To reach a higher band, the candidate should use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'nevertheless') to connect ideas more fluidly and ensure that the structure of the letter is complete from the opening salutation to the final sign-off.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. Phrases like 'manufacturing fault' and 'brand new black premium jacket' are functional, but there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'reached at my Home' (should be 'reached home') and 'one of the seam' (should be 'one of the seams'). The vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the sophistication expected at a higher level. Expanding the range of descriptive adjectives and using more precise verbs would help improve the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction at the store' (should be 'with the store'), 'one of the seam' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'I really appreciate if I get' (should be 'I would really appreciate it if I could get'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization (e.g., 'Home', 'Found'). To improve, the candidate needs to focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and consistent sentence structure to reduce the frequency of errors.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.