Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-09

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 7.0)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this email to share my terrible experience at your Zara location.

I visited your store on July 1st and purchased a black leather jacket which was 80$. When i arrived home and tried it, i found out that zip pockets was broken. Other than that, it also had a yellow stain inside the jacket.

I went back and firmly requested for a return but the store manager did not approve it according to him this jacket was perfectly fine and i ruined it after purchasing. I tried my level best in convincing, but was not able to satisfy him.

I request you, to look into this matter and expedite the process of refund. If return can not be approved I am also fine with an exchange. I accept it is my fault as well I did not check it at first place because I was rushing over.

I hope you will help me in this procedure. Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Yours Sincerely,

Jason

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: the description of the jacket's defects (broken zip, yellow stain), the interaction with the store manager, and the desired resolution (refund or exchange). The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed, and the inclusion of specific details, such as the date of purchase, adds authenticity to the task. The response is fully relevant and meets all requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which aids readability. Cohesive devices such as 'Other than that', 'When I arrived home', and 'If return can not be approved' are used effectively to link ideas. While the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be slightly smoother, the overall progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with clear communication of the issues. There is an attempt to use some specific terminology related to retail, such as 'merchandise', 'refund', and 'exchange'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'zip pockets was broken' (subject-verb agreement) and 'rushing over' (slightly unnatural collocation). While the range is sufficient to convey the message clearly, it lacks the more sophisticated or precise collocations that would elevate the score to the highest bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as the lowercase 'i' used throughout the text, 'zip pockets was' (plural subject with singular verb), and 'If return can not be approved' (missing article). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear, and the errors do not impede communication. The punctuation is generally functional, though the consistent failure to capitalize the personal pronoun 'I' is a recurring issue that affects the overall accuracy of the writing.

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

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