Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear sir or madam,

I am writing this letter to you, because I just bought a jacket from your store, and found out a damage in it when I went to my home. I returned to the store in order to refund the money and get your product back. The salesman refused to proceed with the return policy.

The jacket I bought is really nice and fit in size, but there is an unnoticed unaligned sewing along the left sleeve which restricts arm's movement.

I tried to go to the store and the salesman there was not helpful, he shouted at me ''there is no return or change policy here''. That was unprofessional and lacks of ethics in terms of customers service.

I reach out to you today because of two reasons, first, to solve my problem in returning your product back and get my money. Second, to work on imroving your sales team attitude towards customers.

I am looking forward hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Fady

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. First, the problem with the jacket is clearly described, noting an 'unaligned sewing along the left sleeve which restricts arm's movement'. Second, the interaction with the store and the salesman's refusal to accept a return are explained. Third, the letter explicitly states what the writer would like the manager to do, namely to process a refund and address the sales team's attitude. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and all parts of the task are well-covered, fulfilling the requirements for a solid band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a clear logical organization and progression throughout. The writer uses standard letter formatting, opening with 'Dear sir or madam,' and structuring the body paragraphs effectively. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: introduction of the issue, specific details of the defect and the encounter with the salesman, and finally the desired outcomes. Cohesive devices are used adequately, such as 'first' and 'Second', though referencing and transitions could be slightly more sophisticated for a higher band. Overall, the paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, resulting in a coherent piece of communication.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'merchandise' (though not explicitly used, related concepts like 'refund', 'product', and 'policy' are present), 'unnoticed', 'unprofessional', and 'customers service'. There are some minor lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'found out a damage in it when I went to my home' (instead of 'discovered damage when I got home'), 'fit in size' (instead of 'fits well'), and the spelling error 'imroving'. However, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message clearly, and the occasional inaccuracies do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. Examples of complex structures include 'I am writing this letter to you, because I just bought a jacket...' and 'The jacket I bought is really nice...'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'get your product back' (meant 'give your product back' or 'return it'), 'I tried to go to the store and the salesman there was not helpful, he shouted at me' (comma splice), and 'I am looking forward hearing from you' (missing 'to'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede overall communication.

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.