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 hope you are doing well. The reason I am writing this letter to you is because I lost my bag in one of your company's taxi yesterday.

I took the taxi from Brampton to Mississauga while I was running late for an important business meeting. I got an urgent call from my partner just before the destination. I left the taxi in haste without realizing to pick my bag which was just beside me on the back seat.

The bag made of pure leather. About an average size of a laptop and dark brown in colour. It also has a "Tommy Hilfiger" logo stitched in the centre with some important documents inside.

The license plate number of the taxi is "WLM56V" which I received from the text mes. I request you to please help me find the bag as soon

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 incomplete as it ends abruptly mid-sentence ('as soon'), and it fails to meet the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length significantly impacts the development of the ideas, particularly the final request for action, which is left unfinished. To improve, ensure you complete all sentences and provide a full closing statement to meet the length requirement and fully address the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, with each addressing a specific requirement of the prompt. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the context of the trip to the description of the item. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the overall coherence of the piece. While cohesive devices like 'The reason I am writing' and 'It also has' are used, the lack of a proper conclusion and the unfinished final sentence make the structure feel incomplete. Using more varied linking words would further improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with clear descriptions such as 'pure leather' and 'dark brown'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'realizing to pick my bag' (should be 'realizing I had left my bag') and 'text mes' (incomplete word). While the range is sufficient to convey the message, it lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise descriptors and ensuring all words are fully written out will enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I took the taxi... while I was running late'. There are several grammatical errors, including 'in one of your company's taxi' (should be 'taxis') and 'The bag made of pure leather' (missing the verb 'is'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the incomplete final sentence is a significant issue. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence contains a main verb and is fully completed.

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.