Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-03

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/Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction about the recent purchase of jacket that I made from your store in the central mall last week. I was in hurry and I did not check the jacket carefully because I had trust in your store.

When I reached home in the evening, I tried the jacket and then found about that damage in the chain of right pocket of jacket. I immediately went to your store on next day and tried to explain the situation. ButYour staff was very rude in behaviour and did not provide a solution for exchange as it was already damaged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 108 words. Consequently, the task is not fully addressed, as the ideas are underdeveloped. While you touched upon the problem with the jacket and the interaction with the staff, the final requirement—stating what you would like the manager to do—is completely missing. To improve, you must ensure all bullet points are addressed with sufficient detail and meet the length requirement to allow for a full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter lacks a clear structure and proper paragraphing. The transition between the description of the problem and the interaction at the store is abrupt. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas smoothly; for example, the sentence 'ButYour staff' contains a formatting error and lacks a proper transition. To improve, use linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'however' to connect your sentences and ensure each paragraph has a clear focus, including a proper closing statement.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally functional but limited. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'found about that damage in the chain of right pocket'. The word 'chain' is likely used incorrectly for 'zipper'. The range of vocabulary is narrow, relying on basic phrasing. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to retail and customer service, such as 'defective', 'faulty', 'refund', or 'replacement', and ensure you use them in the correct context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that affect the flow of the text. Examples include 'purchase of jacket' (missing article 'a'), 'I was in hurry' (missing article 'a'), and 'on next day' (should be 'the next day'). The sentence structure is mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. Punctuation errors, such as the run-on 'ButYour', also detract from the quality. Focus on mastering basic articles and prepositions, and try to vary your sentence structures by using subordinate clauses to improve your grammatical range.

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

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