Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-17

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 am writing this letter to report you about the purse i had lost in your taxi yesterday afternoon .It was yellow taxi #LE203 .I was travelling from city center to falcon tower .I booked that taxi through your online app .I was carrying alot of bags with me .Somehow i forgot my bag in your company's taxi .It is in blue colour and brand logo is also

mentioned on front pocket of bag which is ALDO .There are four pockets inside that bag .There are all my essential documents in it .Bag is in good conidtion .Recently i bought that bag worth 2000rupees .I shall be thankful if you could help

me to find my purse .If you will get my back you cja contact me [redacted phone] or email me ar [redacted email] .I hope you will try to find my purse as ealry as possible and update me .

Yours faithfully

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. The student explains how the bag was lost by detailing the taxi number #LE203, the route from the city center to Falcon Tower, and using the online app. The bag is described adequately, mentioning its blue color, the ALDO brand logo on the front pocket, its four interior pockets, and its good condition. Furthermore, the writer clearly asks the manager for help to find the purse and provides necessary contact details. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter of complaint and inquiry, even though minor format elements could be improved. The requirements of the task have been fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks proper paragraphing, as it is written as one solid block of text instead of distinct paragraphs for introduction, explanation, description, and request. This impacts the overall visual and structural coherence. While ideas are generally sequenced in a logical order starting with the report, moving to the description, and finishing with the call to action, cohesive devices are somewhat mechanical or missing. For instance, sentences are often started abruptly without linking words. Referencing is mostly clear, but the lack of paragraphing holds the score back from a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully conveying specific details such as 'essential documents', 'brand logo', and 'online app'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'conidtion' instead of condition, 'ealry' instead of early, and 'rupees' without proper spacing. Additionally, phrases like 'report you about' are unnatural and reflect L1 interference. While communication is never impeded, the vocabulary remains basic and contains errors that prevent it from reaching a higher band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and some attempt at complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('If you will get my back you cja contact me'). However, there are frequent grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text, including missing capitalization at the beginning of sentences ('It was yellow taxi', 'It is in blue colour'), unspaced punctuation, and incorrect verb tenses or modals ('If you will get my back you cja'). Punctuation around commas and full stops is faulty. These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, aligning the grammar with a band 5.

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

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