Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing about my experience at your store.

I purchased an ABC brand jacket on 7 September 2026. It was beige and had two pockets, on the left and right sides, respectively. However, the zip on the left-side pocket does not work properly and when I put my hand in it, I found the pocket was torn, which was very disappointing.

After finding this, I visited the store again and explained everything to the shift supervisor , he refused to offer either a replacement or a return. He even started blaming me for the same thing that I did at home.

I would like to draw your attention to the behaviour of this staff member as it will put impact on your store's reputation and customer service. I would appreciate it if your prompt attention to this matter and that you train him properly for the future.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Puneet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by clearly explaining the situation regarding the defective jacket and the poor customer service experienced at the store. The letter adopts an appropriate semi-formal tone suitable for a complaint to store management. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the student outlines relevant details such as the date of purchase, the brand, the specific defect, and the unsatisfactory interaction with the shift supervisor. The demands made at the end, including staff training and attention to the matter, directly address the scenario. The ideas are well-extended and fully developed throughout the response. Therefore, this fulfills the Band 7 and bordering Band 8 descriptors for task achievement by providing a clear position and fully addressing all elements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter exhibits a clear logical progression from the initial purchase and defect discovery to the confrontation with the supervisor and finally the concluding appeal to management. The student uses appropriate paragraphing, dividing the content into distinct logical blocks for the introduction, the product issue, the store visit, and the final demand. Cohesive devices are employed adequately, such as 'However' and 'After finding this', although referencing could be slightly smoother. The overall organisation is clear and easy to follow, supporting the communicative purpose effectively and satisfying the criteria for a solid Band 7 rating.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate and adequate for the task. The student attempts some less common lexical items and collocations, such as 'shift supervisor', 'defective', and 'prompt attention'. However, there are minor awkward expressions, such as 'put impact on your store's reputation' instead of 'have an impact on'. Despite this minor collocation error, the range of vocabulary is sufficient for flexibility and precision, and the message is communicated without any misunderstanding. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 7 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional-like structure in 'I would appreciate it if your prompt attention...' combined with relative clauses. There are frequent error-free sentences, showing good control over grammar and punctuation. However, there is a slight grammatical lapse near the end of the letter where the phrase 'if your prompt attention to this matter and that you train him' lacks a main verb for the first clause. Despite this minor slip, grammar and punctuation are controlled well enough to ensure communication is never impeded, placing this response securely in the Band 7 category.

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

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