Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-09

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 Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to inform you about the jacket I bought from your store has delivered damaged.

I placed order from your official website after hearing alot of good things about your store. When I ordered the product it looks very shiny and attractive as I went through the pictures on your official site. Within 3 days, I received my ordered jacket, when i opened it I found out that it was not looking same as it was in pictures. Most importantly, I checked it throughly I found out that its zip is not working properly. Honestly, I am very disappionted with the service.

Now I would like to request a replacement or If possible could you please arrange a refund for me. I would be very grateful if you could sort it out as soon as pos

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the main problem—the jacket’s zip does not work—and request a replacement or refund, so the purpose of the letter is understandable. However, the task is only minimally addressed: you do not explain what happened when you tried to return the jacket or mention that the store refused it because merchandise cannot be returned. The description of the purchase and website pictures takes space without developing the required points. The response also falls six words short of the 150-word minimum. To address the task more fully, explain the return conversation and the store’s refusal, then state clearly what action you expect the manager to take.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you introduce the complaint, describe receiving and inspecting the jacket, and then make a request. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “Most importantly” and “Now” guide the reader. However, the progression is incomplete because the attempted return—the central event in the prompt—is omitted. Some sentences also carry several ideas at once, particularly the account of ordering, receiving, and opening the jacket, which makes the sequence less smooth. The final request is cut off at “as soon as pos,” leaving the ending unfinished. A clearer paragraph for the return attempt and a complete closing would improve the organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the basic complaint, including “replacement,” “refund,” “damaged,” and “zip.” There are also attempts at more descriptive language, such as “shiny and attractive.” However, several word choices and spelling errors make the letter less natural and sometimes slow the reader: “alot,” “throughly,” and “disappionted” are misspelled, while “official website” and “official site” are repeated. Phrases such as “it was not looking same as it was in pictures” are awkwardly expressed. Use more precise complaint vocabulary and check spelling carefully; for example, describe the zip as “faulty” and say the jacket “did not match the online photographs.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the main message is generally understandable. However, control becomes less reliable in complex sentences. For example, “I am writing this letter to inform you about the jacket I bought from your store has delivered damaged” has an unclear clause structure and an incorrect passive construction. In “When I ordered the product it looks,” the tense shifts unexpectedly, and “when i opened it I found out” needs clearer punctuation and sentence boundaries. The final sentence is incomplete. Practise forming complaint sentences with a clear subject and verb, maintain past tense when recounting events, and punctuate longer sentences so that each idea is easy to follow.

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

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