Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-24

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 Manager,

I am writing this letter with dissatisfaction of my recent purchase of a jacket from your store. When I reached at home, I found out that it was a damaged piece.

The main issue that I found with the jacket is that it's zipper was broken and it was not stitched properly. I felt disappointed with your product. This happens with me first time from your retail company.

When I came back to your store to return it, one of your associate informed me that he could not take back the purchased product, despite I am being a regular customer since a decade.

I am extremely unhappy with your service. Although I am your regular client, I did receive a very bad customer support. Additionally, I would like you to provide me a different and fresh piece of the same jacket which I bought. Also I want you to proprovide me some discount on my purchase.

I hope to recieve back from you.

Yours sincerely,

Hanah Tailor

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student successfully covers all bullet points of the task prompt. The problem with the jacket is clearly described (broken zipper and improper stitching). The interaction at the store when attempting a return is explained, including the refusal by the associate. Finally, the desired outcome is clearly stated, requesting a replacement and a discount. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, establishing a clear purpose from the beginning. All parts of the task are well-addressed with relevant and coherent ideas, earning a solid band score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter exhibits a clear overall logical organization, moving effectively from the statement of the problem to the explanation of the incident, and concluding with clear demands. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points, such as the product issues, the store visit, and the requested actions. Cohesive devices are generally used adequately, though there are occasional instances of slightly mechanical transitions (e.g., 'Additionally'). Referencing is mostly clear, though some minor improvements in linking sentences would enhance the flow further.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'dissatisfaction', 'merchandise', and 'retail company'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'reached at home' instead of 'got home' or 'arrived home', and 'fresh piece' instead of 'replacement' or 'new item'. Spelling is generally correct, but word choices occasionally lack precision, placing this response comfortably in the Band 6 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. While the student attempts complex structures, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'When I reached at home', 'it's zipper' (using the contraction instead of the possessive pronoun 'its'), 'This happens with me first time', and 'despite I am being' (which should be 'despite being' or 'even though I have been'). Punctuation and capitalization are mostly fine, but the grammatical errors are frequent enough to occasionally cause minor distraction for the reader.

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

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