Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-08

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 5.0)

dear sir/ Madam

I want to inform you that I recently purchased a jacket from a store . one of my friend suggested me that anew store open in our local market and it have a huge collection of clothes. last saturday i also visted this place . when i visited there i was impressed with the collection of clothes, one of the most attractive jacket caught my eyes . i could not control myself to bought it. it was blue denim jacket with floral printing . after reaching home , when i showed this jacket to my mother then we relised that it has some defect in the jacket . when i went to the store in the next morning then they denied to exchange the jacket . i was trued to convinced them but they told me it was not our policy . i feel so embarsed at that time. I look forward to hearing from you.

yours faithfully

Manmeet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: describing the jacket's defect, explaining the store's refusal to return it, and stating your desired outcome. However, the final requirement—stating what you would like the manager to do—is missing. You ended the letter without a clear request for a refund or exchange, which is a significant omission. To improve, ensure you explicitly state your expectations, such as requesting a full refund or a replacement item. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though it could be more professional.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks clear paragraphing, which is essential for formal correspondence. The ideas are presented in a single block, making the flow feel somewhat cluttered. While there is a logical progression from the purchase to the problem and the failed return, the lack of transition words or cohesive devices (such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'however') makes the writing feel mechanical. To improve, divide your letter into distinct paragraphs: one for the purchase/problem, one for the store experience, and one for your requested solution. Use linking phrases to connect your ideas more smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is basic and contains several errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. For example, you used 'a new store open' instead of 'a new store opened' and 'embarsed' (spelling error). Phrases like 'caught my eyes' and 'could not control myself to bought it' are unnatural. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise vocabulary related to retail, such as 'defective', 'policy', 'refund', or 'exchange'. Work on your spelling and ensure that your word choices are grammatically appropriate for the context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tenses ('one of my friend suggested me'), subject-verb agreement ('it have a huge collection'), and sentence structure ('I was trued to convinced them'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters at the start of sentences and incorrect spacing around punctuation marks. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic structures limits your score. Focus on mastering simple sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like tense consistency and pluralization.

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

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