Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-17

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 7.0)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I boarded a taxi yesterday. However when I arrived home I realized that I didn't have my bag with me. I had obviously forgotten my bag in your taxi.

After work yesterday, I booked a ride to take me home. The driver arrived at exactly 5pm. I was so eager to get home because I had a very long day. When the journey started, I dozed off Immediately because I was too exhausted. I slept throughout the entire journey. The driver only woke me up when we arrived at my destination. I hurriedly came down from the car with my sleepy eyes. Unfortunately I didn't take my bag out of the car.

The bag is brown colored made with a leather material, with pink floral decorations. It has a zipper at the front. My purse, phone and laptop were inside the bag. I also left my personal documents and my credit card in the bag.

I would appreciate if you could help me track the bag. You can send the bag to me through a courier service or I can come pick it up at any convenient location of your choice. Finding this bag is really important to me because I have my important credentials and gadgets inside there.

Thanks for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Oge Frances

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three requirements clearly: you explain that you fell asleep and left the bag in the taxi, describe its brown leather appearance and contents, and ask the manager to help locate it. The account of the journey is well developed, with details such as the 5 p.m. pickup and the driver waking you at your destination. Your request also offers practical collection or delivery options. To make the response even more complete, include identifying details that could help the company trace the specific ride, such as the taxi’s registration, booking reference, pickup location, or your contact number. Overall, the purpose is clear and the relevant ideas are developed well.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall structure: the problem is introduced, the journey and bag are described, and a request and closing follow. Paragraphing helps separate these functions, and the sequence from booking the taxi to discovering the loss is easy to follow. Some links between ideas are less smooth or slightly repetitive, however. For example, “I boarded a taxi yesterday” is followed by “After work yesterday, I booked a ride,” repeating the timing and situation. The transition into the bag description is also abrupt. Use a more direct opening and a linking sentence such as “The bag I left behind is…” to make the progression feel more continuous and cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the situation, including “dozed off,” “destination,” “floral decorations,” and “courier service.” These choices communicate the events and the request clearly. Some expressions are less natural or precise, such as “brown colored made with a leather material,” “came down from the car,” and “important credentials and gadgets inside there.” These do not prevent understanding, but they limit the naturalness and flexibility of the language. Aim for concise, conventional collocations—for example, “a brown leather bag,” “got out of the taxi,” and “important documents and electronic devices.” More precise wording would make the description sound more fluent and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentences, and the past-tense account is generally clear. You use subordinate clauses effectively in sentences such as “I was so eager to get home because I had a very long day” and “The driver only woke me up when we arrived at my destination.” Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. In “I would appreciate if you could help me,” the construction needs “it” after “appreciate”; “I can come pick it up” would be more formally expressed as “I can come and pick it up.” Also, “Immediately” should not be capitalised mid-sentence, and commas are needed after introductory transitions such as “However” and “Unfortunately.” Greater accuracy in these details would strengthen control.

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

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