Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-25

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 to inform you that i left my bag in one of your taxi yesterterday and would like to ask for your help in finding it.

yesterday evening , i travelled by taxi from the city center to my home .When i arrived home ,irelised that i had accidentally left my bag on the back seat of the taxi .unfortunately , i do not remeber the taxi n

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 74 words. Consequently, the task is incomplete. While you have attempted to address the three bullet points—explaining how the bag was lost, describing the bag, and asking for help—the description of the bag is entirely missing, and the letter ends abruptly mid-sentence. Because the response is significantly under-length and fails to develop the required ideas, it cannot be awarded a higher band. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are fully addressed and expand on your ideas to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is too short to demonstrate a clear logical progression or effective paragraphing. While there is a basic attempt to structure the letter, the abrupt ending prevents the development of a coherent message. Cohesive devices are largely absent, and the lack of completion makes it difficult to assess your ability to organize ideas effectively. To improve, focus on writing complete paragraphs for each bullet point and use linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'in addition' to connect your sentences logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, such as the repeated use of 'taxi' and 'bag'. There are also several spelling errors, including 'yesterterday', 'irelised', and 'remeber'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the necessary details about the lost item. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more descriptive adjectives to characterize your bag (e.g., 'leather', 'spacious', 'distinctive') and ensure your spelling is accurate. Expanding your vocabulary will help you communicate more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation. You have consistently failed to capitalize the personal pronoun 'I', and there are issues with sentence structure and punctuation throughout the text. The sentence 'i travel by taxi...' is incomplete, and the lack of proper capitalization makes the writing appear unprofessional. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that all sentences have a clear subject and verb, and paying close attention to capitalization and punctuation rules.

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

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