Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-07

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 6.0)

Dear Store Manager,

I hope this letter finds you well

I visited your store last sunday which has such an amazing collection of clothes and I bought a jacket from there. Although the jacket was so good its design but it didn’t check it carefully; after reaching home upon a closer examination I realized that its inner stitches are not good as well as from arms its cotton is popping out. Then I went to your store in order to return it but your sales employee deny to return it.

That is why I am writing this letter to you as per you company’s policy, I can return it within 15 days and being a premium membership holder ; I have 30 days to return it. As it was very costly almost around 400 dollars; I need to return as winters are approaching,I cannot survive with that jacket. I want you to look closer into this issue and get me refund

Thank you for time and consideration

Regards,

ABC

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: the problem is described, the interaction at the store is explained, and a resolution is requested. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though it occasionally slips into informal phrasing. The ideas are relevant, but the development is somewhat thin. For instance, the description of the damage could be more precise to help the manager understand the severity. The purpose of the letter is clear throughout, and the reader is left in no doubt about the desired outcome. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of the store visit is more detailed and the request for action is framed with more formal, persuasive language.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'That is why' and 'Although' are used, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to punctuation errors, such as the run-on sentence in the second paragraph ('...around 400 dollars; I need to return as winters are approaching,I cannot survive with that jacket'). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring correct punctuation would significantly enhance the flow and coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the necessary information. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'premium membership holder' and 'closer examination'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'its design but it didn’t check it carefully' and 'sales employee deny to return it'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of the writing. To improve, focus on using more natural collocations and ensuring that verbs and nouns are used in the correct context, such as 'refused' instead of 'deny'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses ('it didn’t check it' should be 'I didn’t check it') and subject-verb agreement ('sales employee deny' should be 'sales employee denied'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. These errors are noticeable and occur throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that sentences are correctly terminated with appropriate punctuation.

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.