Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-22

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 Madam,

I want to share my experience which I had in the store recently. On sunday I bought a jacket from the store but when i went home it was damaged. When i took it back to store , the staff told me it cannot be returned.

As i told you earlier I got a jacket from the store . I tried that jacket till then it was fine . As i liked it without checking it i went to cash counter I payed for jacket and purchased it . Then i went home and i tried it ,after that I found that the jacket was damaged from the sleeve part . I wanted to wear that jacket for my grandpa's 75th birthday party.

The next day i went to store to return that jacket as it wad damaged and get the new one.When i went to return counter the lady there said that as the sale is over so now it is not possible to return or exachange the jacket.She further said if I would came same day of purachase it would have been possible to return that jacket.

Madam i request you to kindly accept my request of returning this jacket and get a new one . After two days my grandpa's 75th birthday party is there . So please approve my request . Hoping for postive response .

Regards

Seema

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address all three points clearly: the sleeve is damaged, the staff refuse a return or exchange because the sale has ended, and you ask the manager to approve a replacement. The detail about your grandfather’s birthday gives a relevant reason for urgency, and the request remains clear throughout. This meets the task well, with the main ideas extended and supported. To make the response more complete and persuasive, specify when and where you bought the jacket, and state whether you can provide the receipt or would accept a refund if a replacement is unavailable. The opening could also identify the purpose of the letter more directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a generally coherent sequence: you introduce the purchase, describe the damage, explain the attempted return, and finish with a request. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages, and phrases such as “The next day” make the timeline easy to follow. However, the opening repeats information that is explained more fully later (“I want to share my experience” and “As i told you earlier”), so the progression is not always efficient. Some links, especially “So please approve my request,” are basic, and the final request could connect more smoothly to the explanation of the party. Organise the details once, in a clear chronological order, and use referencing and transitions more precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the situation and request, including “damaged,” “return,” “exchange,” and “approve my request.” However, the range is limited and several choices or spellings reduce the letter’s professional tone: “got a jacket” is repeated, “cash counter” is less natural in this context, and “positive response” is misspelled as “postive.” There are also errors such as “wad,” “exachange,” and “purachase.” Aim for more precise customer-service language and check spelling carefully. For example, describe the damage as a “tear in the sleeve” if that is accurate, and use “replacement” rather than repeatedly saying “new one.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including the conditional explanation from the staff: “if I would came same day of purachase it would have been possible.” This shows an effort to report what was said, but the conditional form is not controlled; a more accurate version is “If I had come on the day of purchase, it would have been possible.” Other errors include “when i went home,” “I tried that jacket till then it was fine,” and “After two days my grandpa's 75th birthday party is there.” These affect tense, sentence structure, and punctuation. Use consistent past tense for the events, and check sentence boundaries and capitalisation. Clearer control of these patterns would make the letter easier to read.

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

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