Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Predictions Nov 2026 · 2026-11-02

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/Madam

I am writing this letter to notify you about the difficilty faced by local transit commuters like me. My workplace is on the route of number 24 bus starting from Northfield to the city centre. Due to that, I commute on it everyday. Recently, because of service delays it has been hard to plan my journeys. I would like to bring your attention towards this issue and request you to take effective actions to improve the service.

I work near Yorkdale which is one stop ahead of city centre and live near Northfield. So, I have to take this bus everyday to reach my work and have to do back and fourth at least twice a day. I don't have a private vehicle as well as there is no alternative bus service in that particular route therefore I have no choice but to travel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You explain why you use the service: you live near Northfield, work near Yorkdale, and rely on the bus because you have no private vehicle or alternative route. You also identify delays as the main problem and ask the company to take action. However, the response ends mid-sentence (“therefore I have no choice but to travel”), so the complaint is incomplete. The problems are not described in enough detail, and no specific changes are suggested, such as more frequent buses or improved timetable information. The letter is also four words below the required minimum. Complete the final thought, describe the effects of the delays, and make clear, practical requests.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable letter structure: it opens by stating its purpose, then gives background about your commute. Linking expressions such as “Due to that,” “Recently,” and “therefore” help show relationships between ideas. However, the second paragraph becomes difficult to follow because several details are joined in one long sentence, and the response stops abruptly before the point is completed. The ideas would progress more clearly if you used separate paragraphs for your reason for writing, the specific service problems, and your proposed improvements. Check that each linking phrase connects ideas logically, and finish with a suitable closing and sign-off.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal complaint, including “commute,” “service delays,” “alternative bus service,” and “effective actions.” These choices make the general situation understandable. Some expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “notify you about the difficulty faced” is less idiomatic than “inform you of the difficulties I have experienced,” and “bring your attention towards this issue” would be more naturally expressed as “draw your attention to this issue.” There are also spelling and word-choice slips, including “difficilty” and “back and fourth.” Aim for precise collocations and proofread carefully, especially when using phrases intended to sound formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the reason clause “because of service delays” and the sentence beginning “therefore.” Most of the meaning is understandable, and the errors do not generally prevent communication. Some grammatical and punctuation issues remain. For example, “I have to take this bus everyday to reach my work and have to do back and fourth” would be clearer as two coordinated clauses with a repeated subject or a more concise structure. The final sentence is incomplete, and the opening paragraph would benefit from a comma after “Recently.” Practise completing complex sentences and checking punctuation and sentence boundaries before submitting.

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