Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-28

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 5.5)

Dear sir,

I hope this letter finds you well .

As i am aware about your manager position at the AJAX taxi services that i booked to travel yesterday and it was satisfied , overall my experience was pretty good the taxi driver was talkative and he ride me safe towards my home from the Delhi airport.

I also want to mention that i left my bag in the taxi number AD-0223 which has black color and his driver name is Sam, My purse color is black and its is from the ALDO brand it is a small purse basically inside the purse i have really important documents which i need for my next week interview for a multinational company and i really need that document .

My purse is at the back of the seat of taxi and i really appreciate you if you find it as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Eon

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: it explains how the bag was lost, describes the bag, and requests assistance. However, the development of these points is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation of how the bag was lost is slightly vague, and the description of the bag is repetitive. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the opening is slightly awkward. To improve, you should provide more specific details about the journey and the contents of the bag to ensure the reader can clearly identify the item. Overall, the task is addressed, but the response lacks the depth required for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the introduction and the description of the bag is abrupt. There is a lack of variety in linking words, and some sentences are run-on, which affects the flow of ideas. To improve, try using a wider range of cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' to connect your sentences and paragraphs more fluidly. The logical progression is present but could be significantly strengthened with better signposting.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on basic descriptors like 'pretty good' and 'really important'. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'he ride me safe' instead of 'he drove me safely' and 'his driver name is Sam' instead of 'the driver's name is Sam'. The repetition of 'purse' and 'black' limits the range of your vocabulary. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise adjectives and nouns, and ensure that your collocations are natural and accurate for a formal business context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Issues include inconsistent capitalization (e.g., 'i' instead of 'I'), incorrect verb forms ('he ride me safe'), and missing articles. Punctuation is also problematic, with several run-on sentences and misused commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and consistent capitalization. Practicing the use of complex sentences with correct relative clauses would also help improve your score in this criterion.

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

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