Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-03

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 or Madam,

I am writing regarding I lost my bag in your taxi. I would like to bring this issue to your attention and request assistance. When I went to the airport, I took a taxi from your company. I was in a hurry, and then I forgot my bag in your taxi. Moreover, it is an office bag in blue colour with stripes. One pocket in front, and one pocket is behind the bag. My important documents in my bag. Please find the bag as soon as possible.

Thank you for your time and consideration. As a result, I would appreciate it if you could help me to find my bag. If you need further information, I will provide it.

Best Regards,

Barneet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: explaining the loss, describing the bag, and requesting assistance. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of the ideas. For instance, the description of the bag is quite basic ('blue colour with stripes'), and the explanation of how it was lost lacks detail. To improve, you should expand on the circumstances of the journey and provide more specific details about the contents of the bag to help the manager identify it. Because the response is under-length, it fails to fully develop the required points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized, with a clear opening and closing. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and mechanical. Phrases like 'Moreover' and 'As a result' are used, but the flow between sentences is somewhat choppy. The paragraphing is also insufficient; the entire body of the letter is presented as one block, which makes it harder to follow. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed idea.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains very basic. Phrases like 'office bag' and 'blue colour' are functional but lack the precision expected at higher levels. There is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated vocabulary. To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and precise nouns related to travel or lost property. For example, instead of saying 'I forgot my bag', you could use 'I inadvertently left my belongings behind'. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you convey your message more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains several grammatical errors that affect clarity. For example, 'I am writing regarding I lost my bag' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'I am writing regarding the bag I lost'. Additionally, 'My important documents in my bag' is a sentence fragment missing a verb. While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors indicate a lack of control over complex structures. You should focus on ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb and practice using more varied sentence structures to improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.