Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-04

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,

I am writing this letter to inform about lost bag in your taxi.

On 25th of July i booked a taxi from Mississauga to Brampton. I was travelling in taxi with number 3636, i forgot my bag in that taxi at time of leaving.

That bag is in red color, there is a metallic chain on the bag. The bag is bit heavier because that is a duffle bag and in bag there is some gym related items. Even though My wallet is also in bag. For verification you can check my photo Ids, which are already present in wallet.

I hope you understand my situation and look forward to resolve this issue as soon as possible. If you need any kind of help from my side then i am always her for you, feel free to contact me if you need nay verification when you find bag.

yours faithfully,

Akashdeep Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: explaining how the bag was lost, describing the bag, and requesting assistance. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, while you mention the bag contains gym items and a wallet, providing more specific details about the journey or the exact time of the taxi ride would have strengthened the response. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader is left in no doubt about the situation, which satisfies the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between sentences is often abrupt, and there is a lack of varied linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'in addition'). The referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow could be improved by using more sophisticated connectors to link the ideas within and between paragraphs. The paragraphing is present but could be more effectively utilised to separate the different requirements of the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple descriptors like 'red color' and 'bit heavier'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'inform about lost bag' (should be 'inform you about my lost bag') and 'gym related items' (could be 'gym equipment'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise adjectives and nouns, such as 'distinctive', 'belongings', or 'valuable items'. While the errors do not impede communication, the range is limited to the requirements of the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You frequently omit articles (e.g., 'in taxi', 'in bag', 'find bag') and have issues with subject-verb agreement and pronoun usage (e.g., 'i am always her for you'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalisation of the personal pronoun 'I'. While the meaning remains clear throughout the letter, the frequency of these grammatical errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for articles would significantly improve your score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.