Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You rode in a taxi yesterday. When you got home, you realized you had left your bag in the taxi.

Write a letter to the manager of the taxi company. In your letter
• explain how you lost your bag.
• describe your bag.
• ask the manager to help you find it.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Dear Sir/Mam

I am writing to express my concern regarding the hand bag that I lost last week inside one of your Taxi that is white in colour and registration number was HD 30 FX GP.

It was on Friday in the morning when I got taxi from Johannesburg taxi rank to Mpumalanga taxi rank which and which I strongly believe that was last I saw my hand bag. I extremely love this hand bag because it was present from my father. However, it is leather import bag from Italy and cost R3000 for that it will be so unfortunate to loose it.

My request is that please get your taxi driver to find it for me and you can send it to my address which is 96 secunda street, Mpumalanga.

I will appreciate for your cooperation in this matter.

Kind regards,

Eddy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three required points: you explain that the bag was left in a taxi, describe it as a leather bag from Italy worth R3000, and ask the manager to have the driver look for it and send it to your address. The taxi’s colour and registration number are useful details. However, the account is not fully clear: you say the journey was on Friday morning, but also refer to losing the bag “last week,” and the route description is difficult to follow. The request could be more specific, such as asking the company to check with the driver and contact you if the bag is found. The response is also 7 words below the required minimum, so add relevant detail to develop the explanation and request more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening purpose, details about the journey and bag, a request, and a polite closing. This gives the reader a generally coherent path through the message. Some connections between ideas are less clear, particularly “from Johannesburg taxi rank to Mpumalanga taxi rank which and which,” which interrupts the account of the journey. The shift from the bag’s sentimental value to its price is understandable but could be linked more smoothly. Paragraphing is present, though the final request and appreciation could be combined into a more complete closing paragraph. Use clearer sequencing and references—for example, state the journey and when you noticed the bag was missing in separate, direct sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the situation and include some specific details, such as “registration number,” “leather,” and “cooperation.” There are also attempts at more descriptive language, including the bag’s origin and value. However, several word choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “hand bag,” “present from my father,” and “loose it”; these reduce precision and sometimes make the reader pause. “Taxi” is also capitalised unnecessarily, and “one of your Taxi” does not fit the plural meaning. Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling and word forms. More precise language for the lost-property request would also make the letter sound more appropriate for a formal complaint or enquiry.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the main purpose remains understandable. For example, you give the journey details and add a relative clause about where you last saw the bag. However, some sentence structures are difficult to follow, especially “which and which I strongly believe that was last I saw my hand bag.” There are also errors in articles, agreement, and sentence construction, as in “one of your Taxi” and “it was present from my father.” The opening sentence combines several details without clear grammatical links. Use shorter, complete sentences for key information, then add a controlled complex sentence where useful. Check that each clause has a clear subject and verb and that articles and singular/plural forms agree.

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

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