Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-26

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to inform you that I left my bag in one of your taxis yesterday.

I took your taxi yesterday evening at about 6 PM from downtown to Sainte-Foy. I was in a hurry because it was raining, so when I reached my home, I quickly got out of the taxi and forgot to take my bag from the back seat. I realized it after 30 minutes when I reached home.

My bag is black colour and medium size. It is made of leather. Inside the bag there is my Canadian passport, my wallet with some cash, and my house keys. The bag is very important for me because it has my important documents. There is also a small keychain with a blue tag on the bag.

I would be very grateful if you could help me find my bag. Could you please contact the driver of that taxi and check? You can call me anytime at [[redacted phone]]. I can collect it from your office.

Thank you for your kind help.

Yours faithfully,

[Remi]

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The candidate has successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the task instructions. They clearly explained how the bag was lost by stating they took a taxi yesterday evening in a rush due to the rain and left it on the back seat. They described the bag adequately as a medium-sized, black leather bag containing a Canadian passport, wallet, and house keys, while also noting a small keychain with a blue tag. Finally, they explicitly asked the manager for assistance by requesting them to contact the driver and check for the item. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the tone is appropriate for communicating with a manager. The response meets all task requirements fully and effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The letter demonstrates a clear and logical organisation. Information is grouped sensibly into paragraphs, moving naturally from the purpose of the letter to the details of how the bag was lost, the description of the bag, and finally the call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'when', 'so', and 'Inside the bag' are used effectively to connect ideas within and across sentences. Paragraphing is used appropriately and supports the overall progression of the text, making it easy for the reader to follow the sequence of events and requests.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate and appropriate for a transactional letter of this nature. The candidate employs functional phrases like 'inform you', 'in a hurry', and 'very grateful'. However, the lexical range is somewhat limited and relies on basic descriptive adjectives, such as 'black colour and medium size' instead of more fluid alternatives like 'medium-sized black leather bag'. There are no major word-choice or spelling errors that impede communication, but the vocabulary lacks the flexibility and precision associated with higher band scores.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as using subordinate clauses introduced by 'because' and 'when' (e.g., 'I was in a hurry because it was raining'). Most of the simple sentences are completely error-free, and control of punctuation and tense is generally solid. Minor awkwardness appears occasionally, such as 'The bag is very important for me because it has my important documents', where 'important' is unnecessarily repeated. Overall, errors are rare and do not impede communication, showing a reliable command of basic grammar.

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

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