Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-15

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 recently brought a jacket from your store, when I reached home I discovered the jacket was damanged, but when I went to return the merchandise to the store, the employees informed me I cannot return the jacket.

The problem with the jacket is the backside is damaged and it has small holes, and as it is a winter jacket it will not protect me from freezing cold. Moreover, when I washed the jacket, the furr was falling apart.

I tried to return the jacket today at the store, but the employees said that they cannot process the return, because it was my mistake that I did not check it properly while buying. They did not listen to the problem and they kept on arguing. It was a very poor customer service.

I have a request for you, I do not want a refund in cash. I can also accept store credit because I am a regular customer at your store. Additionally, please train your employees on how to behave with customers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student has successfully addressed all three bullet points required in the task instructions. First, the problem with the jacket is clearly described, noting that the backside is damaged with small holes and the fur falls apart when washed. Second, the writer explains what happened when attempting to return it, mentioning that the employees refused to process the return and argued that it was the buyer's fault. Finally, the desired outcome is clearly stated, with the student requesting store credit instead of a cash refund and suggesting employee training on customer service. All parts of the prompt are fully covered, and the tone is appropriately formal for a letter to a store manager. Therefore, a solid band score is warranted.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect of the prompt: the opening introduces the situation, the second paragraph describes the physical flaws of the jacket, the third details the store visit and staff interaction, and the final paragraph outlines the desired resolutions. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'Additionally' are used to link ideas smoothly. However, paragraphing could be slightly refined, and occasional comma splices occur, such as in the opening sentence ('I recently brought a jacket from your store, when I reached home...'), which prevents the cohesion from reaching the highest bands. Overall, the flow is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a general transaction letter, incorporating terms like 'merchandise', 'regular customer', 'store credit', and 'process the return'. However, there are a few notable lexical errors and spelling mistakes, such as 'brought' instead of 'bought' and 'damanged' instead of 'damaged', as well as 'furr' instead of 'fur'. While these errors do not impede communication, they restrict the lexical score. To achieve a higher band, the student should aim to reduce spelling inaccuracies and incorporate more sophisticated or uncommon lexical items with precise collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and causal clauses such as '...and as it is a winter jacket it will not protect me...' and '...because it was my mistake that I did not check it properly...'. However, grammatical accuracy is hampered by run-on sentences and comma splices, particularly in the first paragraph where multiple clauses are joined incorrectly with commas. Other minor slips occur, but the meaning remains entirely clear throughout the letter. The control of grammar is sufficient for functional communication, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors.

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

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