Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Predictions Nov 2026 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You take local buses to get to work in Westbridge. Your journey usually starts at the Central Market stop at about 8.00 a.m., and lately you have found it hard to count on the buses. Write a letter to the director of the local bus service and tell them about the problems you are facing.

Write a letter to the director of the local bus service. In your letter

• describe the problems you have experienced, including buses that are often late and overcrowded
• explain how these problems affect your daily routine
• suggest changes the bus service could make to improve the situation

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing formally to complain about the mismanaged time schedule of local buses at the Central Market stop.

I wanted to let you know that, for my job purpose, I am a regular commuter by local bus from Central Market to Westbridge. In the recent month, it is been observed that most of the buses do not follow their designated time and most of them are often late; therefore, a number buses are over-packed with passengers.

I wanted to express that unfortunately, in the last month, I suffered a lot. It is because I arrived late at my office; as a result, I received an explanation letter from my manager.

I kindly request you to give direction to your concerned department to look into this matter and it is useful if your department could launch a mobile application in order to update passengers.

I would appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Faysal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three required points: it reports late buses and overcrowding, explains that you arrive late at work and receive a letter from your manager, and proposes a passenger-information app. These details make the complaint relevant and its purpose clear. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The overcrowding is mentioned as a consequence of late buses, but you could describe what it is like at the stop or on board. The proposed app would provide updates, but a further practical measure—such as adding buses during the morning peak or reviewing the timetable—would respond more directly to both problems. A little more explanation of the effect on your work routine would also make the request more persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: it opens with the purpose, describes the service problems, explains their effect, and ends with a request and polite closing. Linking expressions such as “therefore” and “as a result” help show cause and effect, and the paragraphs broadly separate the main points. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some features of stronger progression. At times, however, the links feel mechanical or the reference is unclear: “therefore, a number buses are over-packed” does not clearly explain how lateness causes overcrowding. The repeated openings “I wanted to…” also make the progression less natural. Use more direct transitions and group the problem, its impact, and the requested remedies in distinct paragraphs.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a formal complaint, including “regular commuter,” “designated time,” “over-packed,” and “prompt attention.” The reader can understand the central message, and the vocabulary is generally appropriate to the topic. There are, however, some inaccurate or unnatural choices and collocations, which limit precision: “for my job purpose” and “mismanaged time schedule” do not sound natural in this context, while “give direction to your concerned department” is awkward. “An explanation letter” is also not the clearest way to describe the document from your manager. Aim for conventional formal phrases and precise transport vocabulary, such as “unreliable timetable,” “overcrowded buses,” and “refer the matter to the relevant department.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including a cause-and-effect sentence with “therefore” and another with “as a result.” Most grammatical errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the complaint. Some errors remain in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction: “In the recent month, it is been observed” should use a correct present-perfect form, and “a number buses” needs “of.” The phrase “I suffered a lot. It is because I arrived late” also shifts awkwardly between past and present and would be clearer as one sentence with consistent past-tense framing. The request sentence beginning “I kindly request you to give direction” is grammatically cumbersome. Practise accurate tense control and build longer sentences around a clear subject and verb.

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

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