Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-28

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to report a bag that I accidently left in one of your taxis yesterday.

My name is Nav and yesterday at around two pm. I booked a cab from a mobile application but when I reached to my destination after deboarding from the taxi. I realized that my shopping bag was not with me. I was in hurry and maybe that is the reason I forgot to pick my bag from the cab.

My bag was red in color with yellow flowers on it. It was a Zara paper bag. It has all the things I have purchased that day from the store such as three t-shirts, one claw clip, one handbag, and a few hairclips.

I would really appreciate if you could help me to get my bag back. I tried calling the driver several time but he did not answer. That is the reason I am reaching out to you. If you need any further proof of my statement you can check the dash cam of the car.

I hope you will help me to get my bag soon.

Yours faithfully,

Nav

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points: explaining how the bag was lost, describing the bag, and requesting assistance. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a company manager. The ideas are clearly presented and the purpose of the letter is immediately apparent. The inclusion of specific details, such as the time of the trip and the contents of the bag, helps to fully develop the response. The letter follows the required structure and maintains a consistent focus throughout, meeting all the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which aids readability. Cohesive devices such as 'but', 'because', and 'that is the reason' are used to link ideas, although some transitions could be more sophisticated. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of information from the incident to the description and finally the request for help is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for clear communication. You use relevant terms like 'deboarding', 'destination', and 'mobile application'. While the range is adequate, it is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. There are minor issues with word choice, such as 'accidently' (should be 'accidentally') and 'several time' (should be 'several times'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations or varied descriptive language when detailing the bag's appearance or the situation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, particularly with sentence fragments and punctuation. For example, 'My name is Nav and yesterday at around two pm. I booked a cab...' contains a full stop where a comma or conjunction would be more appropriate. Additionally, 'I was in hurry' should be 'I was in a hurry'. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the errors do not impede communication. The use of modal verbs like 'would' and 'could' is handled well.

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