Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear sir

I am writing to express my concern about the bus service that runs towares city centre.I have been travelling in the bus number 24 from Northfield to the city centre for last few months due to my work commitments.My workplace is in the town centre and the route is very convenient for me as fortunately the service is stopping at the bus station near my home and takes me to the office.

The service was working perfect for me , however for the last 3 weeks I noticed multiple delays and even cancellation of the service.For example, yesterday I waited for 30 minutes at the bus station but later on I received a message on board that the bus service was cancelled.This incident caused me significant delay and a fortune in term of hiring a taxi.

During this period of time , I have not been able to plan my journey and there is a constant fear of getting late or to arrange alternative transport.I feel that company can improve the services with further training of drivers ,station staff and by maintaining the mechanical health of the buses so that the service can be run on time.

I am looking forward to receive a positive responce and hope you will tackle the issues in your earlies convenience.

Your's faithfully

Ejaz Ahmed

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address all three points clearly: you explain that you use the route for work, describe delays and cancellations, and recommend driver and staff training alongside bus maintenance. The example of waiting for 30 minutes before learning of a cancellation gives your complaint useful support, and the request for improvement is clear. This fits the task well. To make the ideas more fully developed, explain how the company could communicate cancellations earlier or provide replacement services, rather than relying mainly on general suggestions such as training and maintenance. The letter’s purpose and tone are appropriate, though a more explicit request for action would make the outcome you want even clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter follows a clear progression: purpose and reason for using the route, service problems, proposed improvements, and a closing request. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these stages, and links such as “however,” “For example,” and “During this period of time” guide the sequence. The example also connects the general complaint to a specific consequence. Some transitions and references could be more precise: “This incident” is clear, but the shift from the cancellation to the broad list of improvements is abrupt. You could improve the flow by grouping the effects of unreliable service together and then introducing each practical recommendation in a more deliberate sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a formal complaint, including “work commitments,” “multiple delays,” “significant delay,” and “alternative transport.” These choices communicate the main concerns effectively, and the tone is generally suitable. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, however, such as “the service is stopping,” “a fortune in term of hiring a taxi,” and “mechanical health of the buses.” There are also spelling errors in “towares,” “responce,” and “earlies,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural service-related phrasing and check spelling carefully; this would make the letter sound more precise and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including the contrast in “The service was working perfect for me, however…” and the purpose clause “so that the service can be run on time.” Meaning remains clear throughout. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries. For example, “for last few months” needs an article, and “I noticed” is less suitable than a present-perfect form after “for the last 3 weeks.” The opening also runs sentences together after “city centre” and “commitments,” while “I am looking forward to receive” uses the wrong verb pattern. Review these patterns and punctuation to improve control.

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