Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to inform you that I'd left my bag in one of your taxis yesterday.

I rode in a black sedan taxi with a plate number 123QWE yesterday. The company name of the taxi was Johann's Taxi Club. I'd forgot to pick up the bag at the backseat after the driver dropped me at my home. It was a blue Lacoste backpack, inside it were a blue iPhone 17 Pro Max, some important legal document and an estimated cash for about $1000.

I would appreciate it if you could help me settle this matter. That bag was very important to me it had a lot of valuable things in it. If you have any further question or an update on the item that I left, don't hesitate to contact me in this number [redacted phone]. Thank you for your kind consideration.

Yours truly,

Vergel Lozano

Passenger

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: explaining how the bag was lost, describing the bag, and requesting assistance. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a company manager. The information provided is clear and relevant, allowing the reader to understand the situation immediately. The purpose of the letter is well-defined, and the inclusion of specific details like the taxi plate number and the contents of the bag demonstrates a good effort to develop the response fully. The response is well-structured and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow the narrative easily. Cohesive devices such as 'I am writing this letter to', 'It was', and 'If you have' are used appropriately to link ideas. The progression of information is smooth, moving from the incident to the description and finally the call to action. The paragraphing is sufficient and contributes to the overall clarity of the message, making the letter easy to read and understand.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with clear and functional language used throughout. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'estimated cash for about $1000' (which is slightly awkward phrasing) and 'I'd forgot' (which is a grammatical error rather than a lexical one). However, the range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message precisely. The student uses specific terms like 'sedan', 'plate number', and 'valuable things' effectively. While there is room for more sophisticated collocations, the current range is adequate for a formal letter of this nature.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the misuse of the past perfect ('I'd left' and 'I'd forgot' should be simple past 'I left' and 'I forgot'). Additionally, 'inside it were a blue iPhone' should be 'inside it was' to agree with the singular subject, or 'there were' should be used. Despite these errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the communication remains effective. The punctuation is generally correct, and the formal tone is maintained throughout the letter.

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

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