Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-14

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 5.5)

Dear Taxi Manager,

I am writing this letter to inform you about my bag that i lost in the taxi of your company when i rode in a taxi yesterday .It happens due to i was in rushing because my child was waiting for me at home . So due to in hurry situation i lost my bag in ur taxi.

I can explain u some features about my bag so that it would be easy for you to find it.It is a casual bag that i used in my dailyroutine to put some essential things like my atm card,my id card and like that of other stuff.The bag is not worthable but the things in it are very crucial for me .So, i request you to help to me to find my bag.If u find my bag please inform me as early as possible,i really appreciate your efforts if you helped me to find the bag.I am waiting for your response.

yours sincerely

saira saleem

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the three requested points: you explain that you left the bag behind while rushing home, give some information about its contents, and ask the manager to help locate it and contact you. The purpose is clear, but the explanation of how the loss happened is brief, and the description is not distinctive enough to help identify the bag: its colour, size, material, or any identifying feature is missing. The request could also be more specific, such as asking the company to check the taxi’s lost-property records and explaining how you can be reached. These limited and under-developed details keep the response from addressing the task more fully. Use the required opening, “Dear Sir or Madam,” and a consistent formal tone.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable sequence: the opening explains the problem, the next section describes the bag and asks for help, and the closing anticipates a reply. This gives the reader an overall sense of the message. However, the first paragraph repeats the same point in “I lost in the taxi” and “I lost my bag in ur taxi,” while links such as “So” and “So due to” are repetitive and sometimes make the relationship between ideas unclear. The long second paragraph also combines the description, request, appreciation, and closing thought without clear separation. Organise the information into distinct paragraphs and use a small range of precise links, such as “As a result” or “In addition,” only where they clarify the progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the situation and the importance of the belongings, including “essential things,” “crucial,” and “appreciate your efforts.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which can make the message less clear or less natural. For example, “in rushing” and “in hurry situation” do not express the idea idiomatically, and “not worthable” is not an appropriate word for the bag’s value. Informal forms such as “ur” and “u” are unsuitable in a letter to a company manager. Choose standard spelling and more precise descriptions, especially for the bag’s appearance, so the manager can identify it.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example, “I can explain u some features about my bag so that it would be easy for you to find it,” and the main message remains understandable. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and attempts to form complex sentences often contain errors. Examples include “It happens due to i was in rushing,” “I request you to help to me,” and “if you helped me to find the bag,” where clause structure, verb form, or preposition patterns are not controlled. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, including lowercase “i” and missing spaces after full stops. Build shorter, accurate sentences first, then practise combining them with correctly formed clauses.

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

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