Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-27

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 inquire about a personal item I inadvertently left in one of your taxis yesterday afternoon.

On Saturday, September 26th, I hired a vehicle from your company around 3:30 PM to take me from Central Station to Maple Avenue. The ride was completed at approximately 4:00 PM. Upon returning home, I realized that I had placed my bag on the back seat and had completely forgotten to retrieve it before stepping out of the car.

The item in question is a dark navy blue leather backpack with silver zippers. It features a small front pocket containing a set of house keys and a black notebook. Inside the main compartment, there is a silver 13-inch laptop and a pair of reading glasses.

I would be extremely grateful if you could check with the driver who handled this route to see if the bag was found. If it has been safely recovered, please let me know when and where I can collect it, or how I can arrange for its return. You can reach me via phone at [redacted phone] or by replying directly to this email.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

Yours faithfully,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response fully and effectively satisfies all bullet points outlined in the prompt. You successfully explained how the bag was lost by providing specific details such as the date, time, pick-up and drop-off locations, and where the bag was placed in the vehicle, as seen in phrases like 'hired a vehicle from your company around 3:30 PM to take me from Central Station to Maple Avenue.' Furthermore, you provided a clear and vivid description of the bag, including its color, material, and specific contents like 'a dark navy blue leather backpack with silver zippers' and 'a silver 13-inch laptop'. Finally, you clearly requested assistance by asking the manager to check with the driver and outlining preferred methods for collection and contact. All parts are well-developed and appropriate for a formal letter to a manager.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The letter demonstrates clear logical organization and a natural progression of ideas throughout. The tone and register are consistently formal and appropriate for a business correspondence. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively, with each paragraph serving a distinct function: stating the purpose, explaining the incident, describing the item, and making the final request. Cohesive devices are managed well without being intrusive, as shown by transitional phrases such as 'Upon returning home' and 'The item in question'. Paragraph transitions flow smoothly, resulting in a cohesive and easy-to-read text that guides the reader logically from the problem to the proposed solution.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The vocabulary used is sufficiently wide and precise for the task. You effectively integrated less common lexical items and natural collocations, such as 'inadvertently left', 'hired a vehicle', 'retrieve it', and 'safely recovered'. Word choices are accurate, and precise adjectives such as 'dark navy blue' and 'silver' demonstrate a good range of descriptive language. There are no notable spelling or word-formation errors, and the vocabulary creates a polite, professional tone suitable for addressing a company manager. The language successfully conveys all necessary details with clarity and natural fluency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The letter exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with a high degree of accuracy. You successfully combined simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses, participial phrases, and conditional structures, such as 'If it has been safely recovered, please let me know when and where I can collect it'. The majority of your sentences are completely error-free, and control over tense consistency—such as the past simple for the journey events and present simple for current facts—is well-maintained. Punctuation is accurate throughout, and complex structures are handled with confidence and control, contributing significantly to the overall professional quality of the writing.

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