Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-03

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 5.0)

Dear Manager,

I hope you find this message well! Recently , i bought a jacket form your store Zara which is situated in surrey center. The prime problem this jacket is its color and fiberick as at store its look well but after get at home i felt like its not exactly that i want.

However, when i visite the shope again to return it they said you can exchange it not return, acually i wnat to return it because it did not like anyother clothes thei.

Therefore, please sir i request you can give me my money back inside of exchange i will be very thankfull to you.

Best regards,

lakhvir kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response addresses the prompt only partially, meaning it touches upon the bullet points but lacks sufficient development. While you mention the problem with the jacket ('its color and fiberick'), explain what happened during the return attempt, and state your desired outcome ('give me my money back'), these points are presented with limited details and under-developed ideas. Furthermore, important bullet points and contextual requirements are not fully expanded upon. Additionally, it is vital to note that the response does not meet the minimum word length requirement, falling significantly short of the necessary 150 words. To reach a higher band, you must fully develop each required part of the task with more relevant details and ensure you write at least the minimum required word count.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical structure appropriate for a formal complaint, moving from the initial purchase to the problem, the store's reaction, and finally your request. Paragraphing is attempted, though the layout and spacing could be managed more professionally. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However' and 'Therefore', but referencing and linking are sometimes mechanical or basic. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, transitioning between sentences can feel abrupt. To improve further and achieve a higher band, you should ensure that cohesive devices are used more flexibly and that paragraph breaks follow standard letter-writing conventions without mechanical gaps.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. You attempt some less common vocabulary, but this is accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word form, such as 'fiberick' instead of fabric, 'visite' for visit, and 'shope' for shop. Other expressions like 'did not like anyother clothes thei' also cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a basic lexical range. To move up to a higher band, you need to expand your range of vocabulary, use less common lexical items with greater precision regarding style and collocation, and carefully check your spelling and word forms before finalizing your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Your writing demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences joined by basic conjunctions. When you attempt complex sentence forms, they frequently contain errors. There are noticeable inaccuracies in verb tenses, punctuation, and prepositions inside grammatical patterns, such as 'i bought a jacket form your store' and 'after get at home i felt like its not exactly that i want'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capitalizations for 'I' and awkward comma placements. To reach a higher band, you must incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with good control, aiming for more error-free sentences where grammatical mistakes do not impede communication.

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

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