Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Sir/ Madam

I am write to inform about the disappointment that I get from your cloth shop.

Actually, One week ago I brought the jacket from your shop and I was very excited that I will wear this jacket at my brothers birthday but on the actually day of the birthday when I wear it the stitching from under arms opened and I felt so embarrassing on that time which was very disappointing.

So, next day when I went to shop for return it the shopkeeper behaved badly with me and I refused to return the jacket. I tried my best to express my situation to him but he do even try to understand me even he insulted me in the front of all customers which heart my self-respect.

I kindly reuest to you please provide me new jacket on the behalf of it and give me the time when I would came and return this jacket . Although ask the shopkeeper that do not behave like this again with any customer.

I am waiting to get your response.

Your faithfully,

Sukhpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the task: describing the damaged jacket, explaining the negative experience at the store, and stating the desired outcome. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited by grammatical errors, which occasionally make the narrative flow slightly awkward. For example, the description of the incident at the store is clear, but the request for action could be more precisely articulated. Overall, the response fulfills the requirements of the task effectively, and the purpose of the letter is clear to the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose in the complaint. There is a clear progression of ideas from the initial purchase to the problem, the store visit, and the final request. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic and occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition 'So, next day' is informal and lacks sophistication. While the paragraphing is sufficient, the connections between sentences could be improved to create a smoother flow. The referencing is generally clear, and the letter is easy to follow despite some minor lapses in cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward word choice, such as 'I am write to inform about the disappointment that I get' instead of 'I am writing to express my disappointment' and 'heart my self-respect' instead of 'hurt my self-respect'. The range of vocabulary is limited to common, everyday words. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of more sophisticated or precise terminology prevents a higher score. Spelling errors like 'reuest' and 'brothers' (missing apostrophe) also detract from the overall quality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include incorrect verb tenses ('I brought' instead of 'I bought'), subject-verb agreement ('he do even try'), and missing articles or prepositions. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and apostrophes. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable and require the reader to re-read certain parts to grasp the intended meaning. Greater attention to basic sentence construction and proofreading is necessary.

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

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