Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-08

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 6.5)

Dear manager,

I am writing to report a bag that I lost in one of your taxis yesterday while coming back home from my work.

I took taxi from 438 Holland street to Plank road around 7 p.m. last night. While I left the taxi, I totally forgot about my handbag, since I was talking to someone with my phone and had laptop in my other hand.

Let me describe the bag for you. It is a brown coloured leather tote bag with golden accessories and it has brand name logo in the center of the exterior. It has one main zip and one small pocket inside.

I would really appreciate if you help me this matter and help me locate my bag. If you need any further information about taxi and driver, I can give you detail information.

Thank you for your attention. Looking forward to hear you soon.

Yours Sincerely,

Kinjal Panchal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained how the bag was lost, provided a detailed description of the item, and made a polite 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 and the necessary details to identify the bag. To reach a higher band, you could include more specific details, such as the taxi's license plate number or the exact time of arrival, to further demonstrate your ability to provide comprehensive information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

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 narrative and description, and the conclusion offers a call to action. You have used basic cohesive devices such as 'since' and 'if' to link ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words or transition phrases to connect sentences more fluidly. The paragraphing is sufficient, and the overall structure is easy to follow, which is appropriate for this type of correspondence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Words like 'exterior', 'accessories', and 'appreciate' are used correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'talking to someone with my phone' (should be 'on my phone') and 'give you detail information' (should be 'detailed information'). While the vocabulary is sufficient for the task, it lacks the more sophisticated or precise collocations that would characterize a higher band score. The spelling is generally accurate throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound. However, there are some errors, such as 'I took taxi' (missing an article: 'a taxi') and 'Looking forward to hear you soon' (should be 'hearing from you'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do indicate a need for more careful proofreading regarding articles and verb patterns. To improve, focus on ensuring consistent use of articles and correct prepositional phrases after common verbs.

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

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