Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-21

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 this letter to inform you about my feedback on the item I purchased from All in One Cloth Store. I have been a regular customer of your store.

Recently, I bought a jacket from your shop and checked it thoroughly, but when I got home, I found that there was a hole under the collar and some paint stains. It cannot be seen with the naked eye. When I took it back to the shop, one of your employees made me aware of the rule that merchandise under 200 dollars cannot be accepted as a return.

Moreover, the behaviour of the staff was improper while handling my query. Being rude should not be an option. In order to get more customers, I would suggest a training course for them. I would be more than happy if you could exchange this jacket.

Thank you so much for your support. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Devanshi Vasani

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively covers all three bullet points required in the task instructions. The student successfully describes the problem with the jacket, detailing a hole under the collar and paint stains. Furthermore, the writer explains what happened when attempting to return it, noting that an employee cited a store policy refusing returns on merchandise under 200 dollars. Finally, the student clearly states what they would like the manager to do, expressing that they would be happy to exchange the jacket. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter to a store manager, and all ideas are relevant and adequately developed to fulfil the task requirements, aligning well with the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter exhibits a clear overall logical organization and progression. The response is appropriately paragraphed, moving logically from the purpose of the letter and the description of the problem, to the experience at the store, and finally to the staff behavior and desired resolution. Cohesive devices are used adequately and generally appropriately, such as 'Recently', 'Moreover', and 'In order to get'. While the sequencing is clear and easy to follow, the cohesion can occasionally feel a bit mechanical or straightforward, placing it firmly within the Band 7 performance range.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases such as 'regular customer', 'thoroughly', 'naked eye', and 'improper while handling my query' show an ability to use less common items with some awareness of style and collocation. There are minor awkwardnesses or unnatural phrasing, such as 'feedback on the item I purchased' (since feedback is usually given to the store rather than being the item itself), but these vocabulary choices do not impede communication. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, supporting a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writer uses a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and participial constructions like 'In order to get more customers, I would suggest a training course for them' and 'I would be more than happy if you could exchange this jacket.' Grammar and punctuation are generally well controlled, with frequent error-free sentences. Although there are minor stylistic slips, such as the slightly disjointed sentence 'It cannot be seen with the naked eye', these errors are rare and do not impede comprehension. The grammatical control meets the criteria for Band 7.

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

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