Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-29

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 6.5)

Dear sir,

I am writing to request a refund for the jacket I bought from your store last week. On arriving home, I found out the jacket was torn at the axilla region and when I washed the jacket, I found out that it was dyed. I returned to the store the next day to return the jacket and your staff said your store have the no refund policy. Which is unacceptable, because the merchandise was damaged before I bought it and they were indicator that the jacket was dyed.

I am a regular devoted costumer, and have patronize your store on several ocassion.

I am appealing that you look into my request, investigate and refund my money or I can pick another item worth the amount of the jacket.

I have attached a photocopy of the receipt, a photo of the jacket and my email address.

Yours sincerely,

Divine.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three required points: it describes the jacket as torn and discoloured after washing, explains that staff refused the return because of the store’s no-refund policy, and requests either a refund or an exchange. Your position is clear, and the attached receipt and photograph help support the complaint. The explanation that the damage existed before purchase is relevant, though the link between the tear and the dye problem could be made clearer. To strengthen the response further, specify the outcome you prefer and give a brief reason the manager should make an exception to the policy, such as the item being faulty when sold.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a sensible sequence: purchase and discovery of the fault, the attempted return, your relationship with the store, and the requested resolution. The separate paragraph about being a regular customer also helps distinguish background from the main complaint. Linking phrases such as “On arriving home,” “the next day,” and “I am appealing” guide the reader through the letter. Some connections could be smoother: the sentence beginning “Which is unacceptable” is a fragment and its reference to “they” is unclear. Use a complete sentence and name what “they” refers to. A clearer paragraph break before the request would also make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of complaint-related vocabulary, including “request a refund,” “damaged,” “no refund policy,” “investigate,” and “photocopy of the receipt.” These choices make the purpose clear, and “axilla region” shows an attempt at precise description, although it is unusually technical for a customer letter. Some spelling and word-choice errors reduce accuracy, including “costumer,” “ocassion,” and “patronize,” while “it was dyed” does not clearly express the intended colour problem. Choose natural, precise wording such as “underarm,” “discoloured,” and “customer.” More consistent control of spelling and collocation would make the complaint sound more polished and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The letter includes both simple statements and longer structures, for example “On arriving home, I found out…” and the sentence explaining the attempted return. However, some grammatical errors remain. In “your store have the no refund policy,” the verb does not agree with the singular subject, and the article and phrasing need correction. “Which is unacceptable” is a sentence fragment, while “I have patronize” uses an incorrect verb form. The sentence about the jacket being damaged and the staff’s response also joins ideas in a way that makes the relationship unclear. Review subject–verb agreement, past participles, articles, and sentence boundaries; these corrections would improve accuracy while preserving your range of sentence forms.

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