Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-28

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,

I am writing this letter to you . To inform about a jacket which was bad when i bought it from your's store.

As i mentioned above that the piece of cloth was damage from inner side when i reached at home. And want to try on my self to show my wife.

Moreover, almost after one day i went to showroom to give back that damaged jacket to the staff . However, After i explained them everything they rejected to take that bad merchandise from me . Staff's member did not provide me the refund or exchange.

So, last but not least i request to you . Please provide my money back or give me a exchange of that jacket as brand new condition. As per policy of store i can do exchange or refund in 30 days while in my matter only couple of days gone. Thankyou for your attention towards this letter . I look forward for your reply.

your's sincerly, manraj

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the damage, explaining the staff's refusal, and requesting a resolution. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited by the language used. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the expression is occasionally awkward, such as 'piece of cloth was damage from inner side'. The purpose of the letter is clear, but the lack of specific details (such as the date of purchase or the specific type of jacket) prevents it from being a fully professional and persuasive piece of correspondence. To improve, ensure that all parts of the prompt are addressed with more descriptive and precise language.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'So, last but not least'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural in context. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed due to grammatical errors. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be improved to ensure a smoother progression of ideas. Overall, the message remains clear despite these minor issues with cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'bad', 'damage', and 'give back'. There are several inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'piece of cloth' instead of 'garment' or 'jacket', and 'reached at home' instead of 'arrived home'. The student attempts to use formal vocabulary, but the lack of precision often hinders the professional tone required for a formal complaint. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to retail and customer service, as well as improving collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a high frequency of grammatical errors, including issues with verb tense ('was damage'), article usage, and sentence structure. There are frequent errors in punctuation and capitalization, such as 'Dear sir,' and 'your's sincerly'. While the student attempts some complex sentence structures, these are often marred by errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. The control of basic grammar is inconsistent, and there is a lack of variety in sentence forms. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of past tense for narrative events would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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

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