Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Predictions Nov 2026 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You take the number 24 bus from Northfield to the city centre several times a week. Recently, you have found it difficult to plan your journeys because you cannot rely on the service. You decide to write to the bus company to explain your concerns and ask it to improve the service.

Write a letter to the bus company. In your letter

• explain why you use this bus service
• describe the problems you have experienced with it
• suggest what changes the company could make to improve the service

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 working in multinational company that i located in the heart of city centre. i live near by bus station northfield. As per all days i get in the 24 bus from the northfield to reach at my work location.

However it has been 4 days i get late from work as bus scheduled is not fixed . And also bus heating system is also not good so far. I also want let you know couple days ago by mistake i left my laptop in the bus on the same day i email to customer service and driver however i did not get any answer yet i am very disappointed because that laop that was very important for me because on my last birthday my father gave me as a gift.

I want just modified the interior services and hire the responsibile faculty that can follow the proper scheduled.

t

your sincerely;

gagan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address the main parts of the task: you explain that you travel from Northfield to work in the city centre, describe unreliable bus times and a faulty heating system, and ask the company to improve the service. The lost laptop and lack of response add a relevant complaint, although this takes considerable space without clearly explaining what action you want the company to take about it. Your proposed changes—improving the interior and employing staff to keep to the timetable—are relevant, but they are brief and could be made more specific. To strengthen the letter, explain how the delays affect your work and request practical measures, such as timetable monitoring and a response to your lost-property enquiry.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a generally understandable progression: you introduce your journey, describe service problems, and finish with suggestions. The opening and closing also signal the purpose and format of a formal complaint. However, the central paragraph combines lateness, heating, and the lost laptop in one long sequence, so the relationship between these points is not always clear. Some linking, such as “However” and “And also,” is mechanical, and the final request is abrupt. Use separate paragraphs for your reasons for travelling, service problems, and requested improvements, and connect each point with clear references. This would make the overall organisation easier to follow while preserving the relevant content.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main concerns, including “scheduled,” “heating system,” “customer service,” and “interior.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the message less clear or natural. For example, “bus scheduled is not fixed” does not express the idea as precisely as “the bus timetable is unreliable,” while “responsibile faculty” is an unsuitable phrase for staff. There are also spelling errors such as “laop” and “near by.” Aim for accurate collocations and formal complaint language, checking spelling carefully. More precise vocabulary would help you explain both the service failures and the changes you expect.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, including a sentence beginning “I also want let you know” and one explaining the laptop incident. This shows some range, but errors in sentence structure, verb forms, articles, and punctuation sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For instance, “I am working in multinational company that i located” needs a clearer clause structure, and “it has been 4 days i get late” does not use an accurate tense pattern. Capitalisation and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent. Practise building accurate sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use past simple for completed incidents and present perfect for continuing problems. Proofreading each sentence would improve control.

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

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