Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-10

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 sir,

I am Joseph Varghese who took a ride from the city plaza, London to my house. I am writing this to request you to find my bag which I forgot to took from the car.

I took the ride on yesterday June 20th, evening. I was in a hurry that i need to pickup my son from school. So, my mind was fully on that and i was already late.

I try to find the contact number of the driver from the app. Unfortunately, It does not show anything about the driver but i got the details of the car. The number on the plate was CXER 44 and the name of the driver was Hamsa.

My bag was blue in color with 2 strap on either sides and the brand was Adidas. It does have 2 compartments which contain all my office files and my wallet. There was also a company phone inside that bag.

So, I am kindly request you to contact the driver and help me to get back my things. That will be really thankful if i get it by tomorrow morning.

Looking forward to your prompt response.

Yours Faithfully,

Joseph Varghese

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: 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, the description of the bag is functional but could be more detailed to assist in identification. The request for help is clear, though the closing statement regarding the timeline is slightly informal. Overall, the response covers all requirements of the prompt effectively and maintains a consistent focus throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into paragraphs, with each focusing on a specific aspect of the task. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the context of the ride to the description of the item and finally the request for action. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Unfortunately' and 'So', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The use of referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. To improve, you could use a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task, allowing for clear communication of the situation. You use some specific terms like 'compartments' and 'contact number', which are appropriate. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and word choice issues, such as 'forgot to took' (should be 'forgot to take') and 'That will be really thankful' (should be 'I would be very grateful'). The range of vocabulary is adequate but lacks the sophistication or precision that would elevate the score to a higher band. Focusing on collocations and more formal phrasing would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'I am Joseph Varghese who took' (should be 'I am Joseph Varghese, and I took'), 'I was in a hurry that i need to pickup' (should be 'I was in a hurry as I needed to pick up'), and 'I am kindly request you' (should be 'I kindly request you'). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. Increasing the accuracy of verb tenses and subject-verb agreement will help improve your score.

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

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