Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have a bicycle that you are no longer using. You would like to sell it to a friend.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
• explain why you are no longer using your bicycle.
• describe your bicycle.
• explain why you think your friend would like to have it.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

I am writing this letter to let you know that i am selling my old but good bicycle.

I sell my bicycle because i cannot use thisn anymore because of my busy schedule in my work and i dont have time to go on i trike anymore because of my leg injury.

You would like this because this bike has no scratches or damages.And its fit for your height.Its almost brand new, I used it twice only when i went to tagaytay.The one more you like is because this bike have a insurance when you damages this bike but 1 year only. And when you buy it from me i'll give the reserve tire and the tools that i have.

I am looking to your response.

Best wishes,

Lemuel Marciano

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address all three points: you explain that work and a leg injury prevent you from cycling, describe the bike as nearly new and used twice, and give reasons your friend might want it, including its condition, insurance, spare tyre and tools. However, the description and the appeal to your friend are brief, and the insurance detail (“when you damages this bike but 1 year only”) is unclear. The letter also contains only 130 words, so it does not meet the 150-word minimum. Develop the reasons more fully—for example, explain how the bike suits your friend’s height or what kind of riding it would be useful for—and clarify the insurance terms. A more complete, clearly explained offer would address the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable overall order: you introduce the sale, explain why you are giving up cycling, describe the bicycle and its benefits, then close politely. Paragraph breaks help separate the main ideas. However, the progression within the long third paragraph is less clear: the bike’s condition, its suitability for your friend, the insurance and the included accessories are joined together without much organisation. Phrases such as “The one more you like” do not clearly signal the next point, and “I am looking to your response” does not connect naturally to the offer. Use clearer transitions such as “Another advantage is…” and group the bicycle’s features and included items together.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the basic offer, with relevant terms such as “leg injury,” “scratches,” “brand new,” “insurance,” and “reserve tire.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, including “go on i trike,” “The one more you like,” and “I am looking to your response.” These expressions make parts of the message difficult to interpret. Spelling and informal forms such as “dont” and “i” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise phrases for the reason you cannot cycle, the bike’s condition, and the benefits to your friend. Proofreading spelling and choosing natural expressions will make the offer easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response relies mainly on simple sentence patterns, with a few attempts to link reasons using “because” and to add information with “and.” Those attempts show some range, but errors are frequent and sometimes make meaning unclear. For example, “I sell my bicycle because i cannot use thisn anymore” has an inconsistent verb form and a faulty clause, while “this bike have a insurance” has subject–verb agreement and article errors. In “when you damages this bike,” the verb form is also incorrect. Use consistent present or past forms, check singular subjects (“the bike has”), and divide long sentences into shorter, complete clauses. More accurate sentence construction would improve clarity.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.