Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-07

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 5.0)

Dear sir or madam,

I am writing a mail regarding bag yesterday i was travel from office to my home but unfortunately i forgot my beg in your company taxi because i got emergency call from my home and on hurry i leave my bag in your Taxi i have Taxi number but i am afraid about my beg.

The bag is light blue and 2 different lock in my bag so know one is open it without password but if some one break the lock so there is 5 different important document in my bag that is very crucial for my loan if you help me to find out my beg as soon as early it will be good for me.

your faithfully,

chetan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining the loss, describing the bag, and requesting assistance. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation of the loss is brief, and the description of the bag is somewhat repetitive and lacks professional tone. To improve, you must expand on the details—for example, mentioning the time of the journey, the specific route, or the contents of the bag in more formal language. Because the length requirement was not met, the task is only partially addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is organized into two short paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by the lack of sufficient content. There is a lack of cohesive devices; sentences are often strung together without appropriate linking words or transitions. For instance, the transition between explaining the loss and describing the bag is abrupt. To improve, use linking phrases such as 'Furthermore,' 'Consequently,' or 'In addition' to connect your ideas more smoothly. The paragraphing is also somewhat unbalanced, with the second paragraph containing the bulk of the information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'bag' and 'taxi'. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'beg' instead of 'bag' and 'mail' instead of 'letter'. The phrasing 'as soon as early' is non-standard and awkward. To achieve a higher band, you should aim for a wider range of vocabulary related to travel and lost property, and ensure you use correct terminology. Avoid informal phrasing like 'on hurry' and instead use more precise expressions like 'in a rush' or 'due to an urgent matter'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tense ('i was travel' instead of 'I was traveling'), sentence structure, and punctuation. Many sentences are run-on or lack proper capitalization. The use of complex structures is absent, and the errors occasionally make the meaning difficult to follow. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and pay closer attention to tense consistency. Proofreading for basic punctuation and capitalization is also essential for clarity.

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

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