Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-30

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,

I am writing this letter regarding a bag which I forgot in one of your taxi cars yesterday night. The cab picked me up in front of the cinema at 9 pm, and dropped me at my place along the park.

I left the cinema feeling a little bit sick, so when I boarded the cab, I was a bit dizzy. I sat at back seat and, I must have forgotten it at the back seat when I came down.

The bag is small in size, black in color and has two zips outside. It is made of thick leather and I personally designed it with beautiful rose stickers which I got from Amazon prime.

I will be delighted if you are able to trace the date, time and location in your company’s data base and help me retrieve the bag, as it contains important documents, my ID card and my passport.

Thank you and looking forward for a positive feedback.

Yours faithful

ABC

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the circumstances of losing the bag, provided a detailed description of the item, and made a clear request for assistance. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a company manager. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands the situation immediately. To reach a higher band, ensure that the closing is perfectly aligned with the opening; for example, since you began with 'Dear Sir or Madam', the closing should ideally be 'Yours faithfully'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the task. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the incident to the description and finally the request. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'so when I boarded' and 'as it contains', which help the flow. However, the transition between sentences could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the information is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'retrieve', 'database', and 'dizzy' effectively. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'taxi cars' (simply 'taxi' or 'cab' is more natural) and 'at back seat' (should be 'in the back seat'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating a few more precise collocations or less common lexical items would elevate the response. The spelling is generally accurate, and the language used is appropriate for the context of a formal complaint or request.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'looking forward for a positive feedback' (should be 'looking forward to positive feedback') and 'Yours faithful' (should be 'Yours faithfully'). Additionally, there are minor prepositional errors, such as 'at back seat' instead of 'in the back seat'. Despite these errors, your meaning is never obscured, and the grammar is generally functional. To improve, focus on consistent subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage in formal writing.

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