Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-08

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 or Madam,

Hope you are doing well!

I am writing this letter to show my disappointment with my recent purchase from your store. Two days ago I bought a jacket and it was really attractive along with this I needed it for my meeting next day. It was black in color as well as it had a little brand logo on the top left side of the garment. After running all my erands for the day I reached home and decided to try on the upper. Surprisingly, found that the jacket for ripped from back side of the shoulder as a result I felt devastating because it was important to me but couldn't do anything.

So, I decided to stop by your workplace and return the merchandise but your team member refused to return it and accussed me of damaging the jacket. I would like to request you to look into this matter personally because I haven't done anything and my receipt clearly states 15 days return policy. Arguing with your co-worker made my evening vulunrable and expect an appology.

If you have any further questions and concerns please feel free to reach out to me. Looking forward to hear from you soon.

Regards,

Navneet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three required points: you describe the tear at the back of the shoulder, explain that a staff member refused the return and blamed you, and ask the manager to investigate. The reference to the receipt’s 15-day return policy also gives a relevant reason for your request. Your purpose and dissatisfaction are clear throughout. However, the requested outcome could be more fully specified: you ask the manager to look into the matter and expect an apology, but do not clearly request a refund, replacement, or another remedy for the damaged jacket. The account of the damage and the return visit is relevant, though some details could be expressed more clearly. A precise request would make the letter more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information follows a sensible order: purchase and discovery of the damage, the attempted return, and your request to the manager. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and phrases such as “So” and “because” show some awareness of how ideas connect. The letter is coherent overall, but a few links feel mechanical or unclear. For example, “along with this I needed it for my meeting next day” interrupts the description of the jacket, while “it was important to me but couldn't do anything” does not clearly explain the consequence. The closing also shifts from the complaint to a general invitation for questions. To strengthen progression, keep each paragraph focused on one purpose and use clearer references and transitions between events.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use vocabulary suited to a formal complaint, including “recent purchase,” “merchandise,” “return policy,” and “look into this matter personally.” These choices communicate the situation, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision: “erands,” “accussed,” “vulunrable,” and “appology” are misspelled, while “felt devastating” and “made my evening vulnerable” are not natural expressions in this context. “Upper” is also unclear for a jacket. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the main complaint, but they make the letter less fluent and polished. Check spelling carefully and choose conventional collocations for describing damage, distress, and a requested remedy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The letter includes both simple sentences and attempts at longer structures, such as “I decided to stop by your workplace and return the merchandise but your team member refused to return it.” The main events remain understandable, and some sentence patterns are controlled. However, several grammatical errors appear in the longer sentences. For example, “Surprisingly, found that the jacket…” lacks a subject, and “Looking forward to hear from you” needs a gerund after “to.” There are also missing or awkward articles and prepositions in phrases such as “for my meeting next day” and “ripped from back side of the shoulder.” Improve accuracy by checking that each sentence has a clear subject and verb, and review article use and verb patterns. More consistently accurate complex sentences would strengthen the letter.

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

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