Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-31

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 7.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding a jacket that I recently purchased from store.

Unfortunately, when I arrived home and examined it carefully. I noticed that it was damaged.

The jacket has a large tear near the left sleeve, and the zip is also broken. Since, I had not noticed those problems while I was in the store, I returned the jacket the following day and asked for a replacement or a refund. However, one of your staff members told me that your store does not accept returns.

I understand that some stores have no-return policy, but I believe that customers should be allowed tp return defective products. Therefore, I would appreciate if you could arrange a full refund or provide me with a ne jacket of the same size and design.

I look forward to your prompt response and hope this matter can be resolved soon.

Yours faithfully,

Vishal Goyal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly describe the damage to the jacket (a tear and broken zip), explain the negative interaction with the staff member regarding the store's return policy, and state your desired outcome (refund or replacement). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. You have fulfilled all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the purchase and problem to the interaction with staff and finally the requested resolution. Cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'Since', 'However', and 'Therefore' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure is easy to follow. The flow of information is smooth and consistent throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my dissatisfaction', 'defective products', and 'prompt response' are well-chosen and appropriate for the formal context. There is a minor typo ('tp' instead of 'to' and 'ne' instead of 'new'), but these are slips rather than systematic errors. The vocabulary is precise enough to convey your meaning without ambiguity. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items related to retail and consumer rights.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There is a minor punctuation error in the second sentence where a full stop is used instead of a comma ('...carefully. I noticed...'), and a minor grammatical slip with the comma after 'Since' ('Since, I had...'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. Your control over sentence structure is good, and the formal tone is maintained throughout.

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

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