Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Predictions Nov 2026 · 2026-11-12

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 or Madam,

I am writing this email to request you to incraese the service of bu number 24 from Northfield to city centre. I am living in Northfiled and working in city centre area, so I need to get this bus everyday to commute.

But ,I have to wait for almost 1 hour if i accidentally miss ny perious bus. I am not only person in this case there are many more people in same , as Northfield area is very famous among international students, so there are many who travel to city for their work or study.

We are all requesting you to increase the number of buses particularly number 24,so that we can travel easily. There are some suggestion from our side, like company can employ Northfield resident to drive buses especially on this route ,this can encourage residents to share public transport and this can increases company revenue , as comparetively less number of commuter than the orther buses are main concern on this route.

I hope this letter find you well and we will wait for responce.

Your sincerely,

Harmanpreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain that you commute from Northfield to work in the city centre, describe long waits after missing a bus, and request more frequent services. The concern that many students and workers rely on the route also helps explain why the issue matters. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The problems are described mainly as a one-hour wait, without saying whether buses are delayed, cancelled, or simply too infrequent. The proposal to employ Northfield residents is also not clearly connected to improving reliability, and the comparison with other routes is difficult to understand. Explain the service problem more precisely and make each suggested change directly address it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a generally clear sequence: purpose, personal circumstances and service problems, proposed improvements, then a closing. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and links such as “so” and “as” show some relationships between ideas. At times, however, cohesion is awkward or unclear. For example, “I am not only person in this case there are many more people in same” combines related points without clear punctuation or a precise reference. The long sentence beginning “There are some suggestion from our side” also joins several proposals and explanations, making the main request hard to follow. Use shorter sentences, clearer references, and linking phrases that show whether an idea is a reason, example, or recommendation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main concern, including “commute,” “international students,” “public transport,” and “revenue.” However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors make parts of the letter less clear, such as “incraese,” “perious,” “responce,” and “commuter.” Some expressions are also unnatural or imprecise: “increase the service” would be clearer as “increase the frequency of the service,” while “share public transport” does not express the intended idea naturally. Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling carefully. More precise terms such as “service frequency,” “miss a bus,” and “passengers” would help you explain the issue and recommendations clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a reason clause in “I am living in Northfield and working in city centre area, so I need to get this bus…” and a longer explanation of the proposed changes. The overall meaning is usually understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. Examples include “I am not only person” (missing an article), “this can increases” (incorrect verb form), and “I hope this letter find you well” (subject–verb agreement). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in “But ,I” and the long sentence about employing local drivers. Review articles, agreement, and verb forms, and divide complex ideas into sentences with clear punctuation.

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

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