Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-09

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 5.0)

Dear sir,

I am writing regarding about that I left my bag in your company's taxi. Yesterday i rode on your taxi from my home to college but unfortunately i left my bag in the taxi. After the rode, when i relized that left my bag in the taxi and i saw to driver but i was late because driver was not there. yesterday i was nervous because of exam so i did not have any idea that i do same time.

There is a black color of bag and there some white stones on it. i am more worried about a bag because there are lot of important documents in it.

I have kind request to you for find my bag. It is not only expensive bag but also my important cards and documents in it.

I am waiting of your response.

your faithfully,

Veerpal Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining the loss, describing the bag, and requesting assistance. However, the response is 147 words, which is below the 150-word minimum requirement. This negatively impacts the task achievement score. The ideas are relevant but could be developed further; for instance, providing the time of the journey or the taxi license plate number would have added necessary detail and helped reach the word count. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the structure is slightly underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

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 disjointed. To improve, you should use a wider range of cohesive devices such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition' to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. You rely on basic descriptors like 'black color of bag' and 'important documents.' There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'saw to driver' instead of 'looked for the driver' or 'after the rode' instead of 'after the ride.' Spelling errors like 'relized' also detract from the overall quality. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more specific vocabulary related to lost property and formal correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include incorrect verb tenses ('i left my bag'), missing articles ('the driver'), and awkward phrasing ('i did not have any idea that i do same time'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the capitalization of 'I'. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures correctly.

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

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