Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-13

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 or Madam,

I am writing to formally complain about my experience with the purchase of Bazinga Jacket I made at your DHA Phase 6 branch.

I bought the article without trying it on and was packed in a box but when I got home and tried it, I discovered that the buttons were loose and the zip had come off. There was no way for me to properly wear the jacket.

I went to the store next day to return the item but the staff was very uncourteous. They were not listening to my issue and just said the statement "items on sales can not be exchanged or refunded, as per policy please don't waste our time"

The tags are intact and I am not at fault for the damages so I would request you to facilitate me in exchanging the item.

Looking forward to your cooperation.

Yours faithfully,

Amanda Bandard

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have fully covered all three bullet points required for this general training letter. You successfully described the specific problems with the jacket by mentioning that the buttons were loose and the zip had come off. You clearly explained what happened when you tried to return it, detailing your interaction with the discourteous staff and their refusal policy. Finally, you stated what you would like the manager to do by requesting facilitation in exchanging the item. The tone is appropriately formal and polite, fitting the purpose and audience of a complaint letter. All parts of the prompt are well-addressed with relevant details, demonstrating a clear and purposeful response that meets the task requirements effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

Your letter has a logical organisation with a clear progression of ideas from the initial complaint to the description of the problem, the store visit, and finally the desired resolution. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate each stage of your letter, enhancing readability. Cohesive devices are generally well managed, such as 'when I got home', 'I went to the store next day', and 'The tags are intact', which help connect your narrative smoothly. While referencing and linking are mostly clear, occasional minor transitions could be slightly more sophisticated, but overall, the structure supports the message effectively without causing any confusion for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You use an adequate and mostly natural range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases such as 'formally complain', 'merchandise', 'tags are intact', and 'cooperation' demonstrate a good awareness of formal letter-writing style. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though a few minor errors occur, such as the missing article in 'Bazinga Jacket' and 'tried it on and was packed in a box' where the subject reference is slightly awkward. However, these lexical slips do not impede communication. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, showing enough flexibility to convey your specific grievances clearly to the store manager.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing to formally complain about my experience...' and 'I went to the store next day to return the item but the staff was very uncourteous.' There are some minor grammatical errors and punctuation omissions, such as omitting the article before 'next day' ('the next day') and a missing period at the end of the direct quote regarding the store policy. Despite these occasional errors, the majority of your sentences are clear, and grammar does not impede communication. Your control over basic and moderately complex structures is sufficient to secure a solid band score.

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.