Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-16

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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to express my concern regarding my lost bag that I had left in your taxi yesterday. Actually, I realized when I was at home after I was unpacking my luggage.

I remember I was worried and overthinking about my upcoming result that distracted me. Unfortunately, in that situation I left my bag in your ride. I hope you can understand the situation and try to solve this issue.

My bag is black in color, with coach logo on it. It is expensive one that carries all my important documents, including passport, and wallet with debit cards, and some cash.

I would be grateful if you could help me to find it and contact me immediately after getting it. Please let me know if it is possible at your earliest convenience. My email address is [redacted email] or call me on [redacted phone].

I look forward to your response.

Regards,

Ramandeep Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all three bullet points required in the task instructions. The writer explains how the bag was lost by mentioning getting home from unpacking luggage and being distracted by upcoming results. The bag is described as black in color with a coach logo, and containing important documents like a passport and wallet. Finally, the letter asks the manager for help in finding it and provides contact details. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager, although the salutation uses 'Dear Sir,' despite the prompt specifying 'Dear Sir or Madam,' and the sign-off includes a first and last name when starting with a formal salutation. All parts of the prompt are addressed adequately, leading to a solid band score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter demonstrates a clear overall progression and logical arrangement of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the explanation of the loss, the description of the bag, and the call to action with contact details. Cohesive devices are generally well managed, such as 'Unfortunately' and 'I would be grateful if you could', though referencing and cohesion between sentences can occasionally feel slightly mechanical or abrupt, as seen in the transition between the second and third paragraphs. Overall, the message is easy to follow from start to finish, reflecting a sound organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The writer uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'express my concern,' 'at your earliest convenience,' and 'upcoming result.' However, there are some word choice and article errors, such as missing an article before 'coach logo' ('with a coach logo') and 'It is expensive one' ('It is an expensive one'). While these minor inaccuracies exist, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'I am writing to express my concern regarding my lost bag that I had left in your taxi yesterday.' There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing choices, including 'that I had left' (simple past 'left' is more natural) and 'after I was unpacking my luggage' ('while I was unpacking'). Punctuation is generally fine, and these errors do not impede communication, allowing the reader to understand the message easily. The control of grammar is consistent with a competent user.

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

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