Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-25

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,

I am writing this letter to describe the problem that i faced in your store.

In last week, i bought a black leather jacket from your store located in the mall. It was on sale. I checked it properly from my side but when i got it at home and i put my airpods in the pocket, i found that pocket was damaged and my airpods fell on the floor.

I went to your store with the reciept and explained the issued that i faced but one of your employees was rude to me and said you should check it when you bought it. Then , i asked for refund but they said they cannot do that as this item was on final sale. Also, they mentioned that there is no retrun and refund policy on the clearence items.

It will be really appriciated if you can find the solution for me and i totally understand the policies but the reason to return that jacket was totally different. The item was not in good condition. It would be great either you can give me refund or give me a gift card for my future purchaces.

Hope to hear back from you soon.

Thank you

Gagandeep

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The candidate has successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. First, the problem with the jacket is clearly described, noting that a pocket was damaged which caused the student's airpods to fall out. Second, the response explains what happened upon trying to return the item, including the unhelpful reaction from the employee and the store policy regarding final sale items. Third, the student clearly states what action they would like the manager to take, suggesting either a full refund or a store gift card. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and all parts of the task are well-developed and easy to follow. Therefore, the response fulfills all requirements of the task effectively, achieving a solid band score for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter exhibits a clear overall logical organization, moving smoothly from the description of the purchase and problem, to the in-store encounter, and finally to the requested resolution. Paragraphing is utilized appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as the initial problem, the store visit, and the concluding request. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, using words like 'Then', 'Also', and 'and' to connect clauses and sentences. However, some referencing could be smoother, and paragraph transitions feel slightly mechanical at times. Overall, the information flows logically and the reader can easily follow the narrative and arguments presented throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a general correspondence task, using terms such as 'merchandise', 'clearance items', 'reciept', and 'refund'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('reciept' instead of 'receipt', 'issued' instead of 'issue', 'appriciated' instead of 'appreciated', 'purchaces' instead of 'purchases') and minor word choice inaccuracies like 'got it at home' instead of 'took it home'. While less common vocabulary is attempted, these spelling and lexical inaccuracies prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Nevertheless, the meaning remains clear throughout, and the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the situation effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The student employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I totally understand the policies but the reason to return that jacket was totally different.' There are some good grammatical constructions, but several errors persist throughout the text, including punctuation issues around conjunctions (e.g., 'Then , i asked') and capitalization errors ('i' instead of 'I'). Furthermore, tense consistency is occasionally flawed, as seen in 'In last week, i bought'. Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, and the majority of simple sentences are constructed accurately. The control of grammar is acceptable for a mid-level band score.

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

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