Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-24

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to formally complaint about the defective jacket that I had purchased yesterday from your store. In that defective jacket, there are two holes inside in the jacket. I had selected the other colour but the colour which I received is hot pink.

Actually, I did buy for the Goa trip which is held in next week. When I visited to your store one of the worker belame me that they had given me the right jacket. He did argue alot in front of the customers and didn't return that jacket which makes me disappointed.

Moreover, I would like to say you that visit your store daily so that workers will not do it again. Furthermore, do talk to your worker for this situation

Looking forward for your response as soon as possible.

Yours Sincerely,

kiran

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You cover the main situation: the jacket has holes, the colour is not the one selected, and a staff member refused the return. You also make a request for the manager to address the staff member’s conduct. However, the requested action is not fully clear: “visit your store daily” does not explain what practical remedy you want, such as a refund or replacement. The Goa trip gives useful context, but the problem and the return discussion need more precise detail. The response is also 8 words below the required minimum, so it does not meet the task’s length requirement. Develop each bullet point more fully and state a clear outcome you expect.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you introduce the complaint, describe the jacket, explain the store visit, and make a request. Paragraph breaks help separate these stages, and phrases such as “Moreover” and “Furthermore” signal additions. However, some links feel mechanical, and the progression becomes unclear in “visit your store daily so that workers will not do it again.” The relationship between the request to visit and the staff member’s behaviour is not explained. The opening paragraph also combines the holes and colour problem without a clear distinction. Use paragraphs for each task point and connect ideas with more precise references, so the manager can follow exactly what happened and what action you expect.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant complaint vocabulary, including “defective jacket,” “holes,” “return,” and “disappointed,” so the reader can identify the issue. However, the range is limited and several choices or combinations are inaccurate, which can make the message less clear. For example, “formally complaint” uses the wrong form, while “belame me” appears to be an incorrect word for the staff member’s response. “Hot pink” is understandable, but the contrast with the colour you selected could be expressed more precisely. Aim for accurate, natural phrases for a formal complaint, such as describing a garment as damaged and requesting a refund or replacement. Check spelling and collocations before sending the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, errors occur frequently in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and prepositions. For instance, “I am writing this letter to formally complaint” has an incorrect verb form, and “I did buy for the Goa trip which is held in next week” has an unclear structure and tense. The sentence “In that defective jacket, there are two holes inside in the jacket” also repeats the noun and uses an awkward grammatical pattern. These errors sometimes make the reader pause to interpret your meaning. Practise building clear sentences with one main idea, then check verb forms and article use, especially in descriptions of what happened.

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

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