Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I am searching for my bag that accidently left in a taxi which belongs to your company. I am hoping if you can provide me assistance finding it.

Yesterday, I booked a taxi from your company's app while heading out from my house. I was running late for the airport and missed one of my bags while heading out to the airport.

The bag was small, brown in color with a multi-colored strap. You can easily differentiate it from out other 'lost and found' items by looking for a heart-shaped keyring attached to it. It also has my initials 'K.A.' engraved on the tag that confirms its identity.

I was hoping if you can help me find my lost bag. I can provide you the details of the cab and also its driver which might provide a direction for your search. I would be really grateful for your help.

Yours faithfully,

Kashish Azhar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: explaining how the bag was lost, describing the bag in detail, and requesting assistance. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a company manager. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, ensuring the reader understands the situation and the necessary actions to take. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the closing is professional. No parts of the prompt were omitted, and the information provided is sufficient to allow the manager to act on the request.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the request. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the introduction to the details of the loss, the description of the item, and finally the call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'Yesterday,' 'The bag was,' and 'It also has' are used effectively to link sentences. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, making the letter easy to follow. The overall structure is coherent and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with clear and accurate descriptions of the bag (e.g., 'heart-shaped keyring', 'engraved'). While the range is sufficient, it is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. There are minor issues with word choice, such as 'accidently left' (should be 'accidentally left') and 'missed one of my bags' (which is slightly unnatural; 'left behind' would be better). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the language used is precise enough to convey the necessary details effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The letter demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally sound. There are a few minor slips, such as 'I am hoping if you can' (which should be 'I am hoping that you can' or 'I would appreciate it if you could') and 'details of the cab and also its driver' (which is slightly awkward). Despite these minor inaccuracies, the control of grammar is strong, and the meaning is always clear. Punctuation is used correctly throughout.

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

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