Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-07

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 ma writing this letter to you regarding my bag left in your taxi last night when I got ride from airport to my home.

I had two bags with me one check in bag and one normal laptop bag. But when I arrived at home I was more focused on luggage to went to grab luggage from back of the car and did not realize that I left my bag inside taxi. I realized when I get home and did not see my bag with me.

It is bag color bag with small little pocket at the bag and I have my laptop nd other documents inside bag, may be it would definitely help to recognize my bag.

I am requesting to find my bag and a required notice how can I get and other steps. Either I have to pay extra or free of charge . I am ready to got with policies and procedure but I would expect help from you.

Thank you for understanding.

Best Regards,

Anish Lama

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: explaining the loss, describing the bag, and requesting assistance. However, the description of the bag is vague, as the student writes 'It is bag color bag', which fails to provide a clear visual description. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the development of ideas is somewhat limited by the lack of specific details, such as the date, time, or taxi license plate number, which would be essential for a real-world request. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the phrasing is occasionally awkward.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the explanation of the loss and the description of the bag is abrupt. There is a lack of variety in linking words, and some sentences feel disconnected. While the overall progression is logical, the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider range of transition signals to connect ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message, but it is quite basic and repetitive. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'got ride' instead of 'took a ride' and 'luggage to went to grab' which is grammatically and lexically confusing. The description of the bag is particularly weak due to the repetition of the word 'bag' and the lack of descriptive adjectives. To reach a higher band, the student needs to use more precise vocabulary related to travel and lost property, and avoid repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writing contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I ma writing' (spelling), 'I realized when I get home' (tense inconsistency), and 'I am ready to got with policies' (incorrect verb form). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the lack of commas to separate clauses. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar limits the score.

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

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