Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-18

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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I would like to bring into your attention that yesterday i bought a jacket from your store, but when i got home and tried the jacket i found out that there was hole on the right hand shoulder of the jacket due to loose stitching.

I immediately went back to store to return the jacket as it was clearly mentioned on the receipt and also the store policy that items can be returned within 3 days of purchase. However, the merchandise supervisor refused to return the item saying that when you purchased it was checked and item was sold without any defects, infact he blamed me for damaging the item.

I would like you intervene and as a manager customer satisfaction should be your top most priority furthermore it is highly recommended that your store staff should be aware of the importance of customer satisfaction and practice the store policy of return and exchange.

Best regards,

Naufal Bin Saad

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all bullet points required by the task prompt. You clearly describe the problem with the jacket by mentioning the 'hole on the right hand shoulder' caused by 'loose stitching'. You also explain what happened when you tried to return it, noting the unhelpful reaction of the merchandise supervisor who blamed you for the damage despite the store policy. Finally, you state what you would like the manager to do, asking them to intervene and ensure staff are better trained in customer satisfaction. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter. All parts are fully addressed, earning a solid band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs that follow a natural progression from describing the purchase and the defect, to the return attempt, and finally to the desired action. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However' and 'furthermore', although some referencing is slightly clunky. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate each main point, making the letter easy to follow and understand. Minor mechanical cohesion issues prevent a higher band, but overall arrangement is coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The response uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'merchandise supervisor', 'store policy', and 'customer satisfaction'. However, there are some minor vocabulary and collocation inaccuracies, such as writing 'bring into your attention' instead of 'bring to your attention', and omitting articles or using lowercase letters inappropriately ('i bought'). While you attempt some less common lexical items, these errors slightly limit the precision and flexibility of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as the multi-clause sentence explaining the return policy and the supervisor's reaction. However, there are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the text. These include missing capitalization for the pronoun 'I', missing prepositions ('went back to store'), and run-on sentences lacking proper punctuation (e.g., 'I would like you intervene and as a manager customer satisfaction should be your top most priority...'). These errors occasionally impede smooth reading, placing this response firmly in the band 6 range.

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

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