Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-25

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 8.0)

Dear sir or madam,

I am writing to request your assistance in recovering a personal bag that

I left in one of your taxis yesterday afternoon.

On july 24th, I took a taxi from the central train station to my home at 45 Oak Lane. The journey began at approximately 3:15 PM and concluded around 3:45 PM. I paid the fare using my credit card, and the transaction receipt shows the driver"s identification number as TX-8842. when the taxi arrived at my home, I completely forgot that I had placed my smaller personal bag on the back seat next to me.

The missing item is a medium-sized, black leather bagpack made by the brand "Samsonite". it features two silver zippers on the front pocket and inside the bag, there is a black leather wallet containing my identification documents, a pair of cloths and a hardback notebook.

I would be extremely grateful if you contact the driver of this vehicle to check if the bag has been found. If it has been recovered, then let me know how and when I can collect it from your office.

Thank you very much for your time, assistance, and promt attention to this urgent matter.

Yours faithfully,

Lekha suthar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained how the bag was lost, provided a detailed description of the item, and included a polite request for assistance. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a company manager. The information is relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands the situation and the specific details needed to locate the lost property. The inclusion of the driver's ID number is a particularly effective detail that enhances the clarity of your request.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose: the introduction states the purpose, the body paragraphs provide the necessary details, and the conclusion offers a polite closing. Cohesive devices such as 'On July 24th', 'when the taxi arrived', and 'If it has been recovered' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the flow of information is smooth and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal complaint or request. Phrases like 'request your assistance', 'concluded around', and 'urgent matter' are well-chosen. There are a few minor errors, such as 'bagpack' (backpack) and 'cloths' (clothes), which are spelling or word-choice slips. However, these do not impede communication. The use of specific terms like 'transaction receipt' and 'identification documents' shows a sufficient range to convey your message with precision and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear. There are some minor punctuation and capitalization errors, such as 'july' (July), 'sir or madam' (Sir or Madam), and 'it' (It) at the start of a sentence. Additionally, there is a minor error in 'if you contact' (should be 'if you could contact'). Despite these occasional slips, the grammatical control is strong, and the errors do not interfere with the reader's understanding of the request.

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