Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-04

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 Jasleen and i recently buy a jacket from your store but taht time i was in a hurry and not able to check properly . But when i tried this at home , i saw some small holes in a jacket at the back side and zip of the jacket also not properly closed.

Workers of your shop directly refused me to change that detective piece , even i have a bill of your shop . I waited there around 1 hr but they ignore me and did not listen me properly, it was such a wrost behaviour .

I really wanted if you replace that jacket or give me a refund and observe their workers behavior with customers because if they behave like that with customers they will never come again . i get appreciate if you replace this for me .

yours sincerely

Jasleen kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three required points: you describe holes at the back and a faulty zip, explain that staff refused to exchange the jacket despite your receipt, and request either a replacement or refund. These details make the complaint relevant and your desired outcome clear. The account of the return visit is less fully developed: you mention waiting for an hour and being ignored, but could explain more precisely what the staff said or why they rejected the return. The request to the manager to observe staff behaviour is also understandable, though a more direct request for an investigation or response would make the purpose stronger. Overall, the main task is covered, with some points less developed than others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The message has a clear overall sequence: the purchase and damage are described first, the attempted return follows, and the final paragraph states what you want the manager to do. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and links such as “But” and “because” show relationships between ideas. This gives the letter a coherent structure. To make the progression smoother, use more precise transitions and avoid joining several requests and explanations in one long sentence, particularly in the final paragraph. Some references, such as “that detective piece” and “this,” are not immediately clear to the reader. Clearer reference to “the damaged jacket” would make the connections between sentences more controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough relevant vocabulary to communicate the complaint, including “small holes,” “zip,” “refund,” and “workers’ behavior.” However, the range is limited and several noticeable word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors make parts less natural or briefly unclear. For example, “detective piece” appears to mean “defective item,” while “wrost behaviour” and “i get appreciate” do not express the intended meaning accurately. “Change that” is also less precise than “exchange the jacket.” Aim to learn common phrases for complaints and returns, and check spelling and word forms carefully. More accurate, specific vocabulary would make the letter sound clearer and more appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The letter communicates its main meaning, and you attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example with “but,” “even,” and “because.” However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors in verb forms, articles, agreement, and sentence construction occur throughout. Examples include “I recently buy” instead of a past-tense form, “I saw some small holes in a jacket,” and “they did not listen me properly.” The final sentence, “i get appreciate if you replace this for me,” is difficult to interpret because its grammatical structure is incomplete. Practise accurate past-tense narration and simple request forms, then build longer sentences from those reliable patterns. Correct punctuation and capitalisation will also improve readability.

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

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