Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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)

Dear Perneet,

How are you? Actually, I want to sell my bicycle to you. So I would like to give you all the information about it.

I have been using it since grade 10. However, recently I have bought a new bike. Therefore, I am no longer using my bicycle. Moreover, I am taller than bicycle. Furthermore, I do not want to put it in rubbish bin because I know you need a bicycle to go school.

I want to discuss something about my bicycle. The colour of bicycle is black. It has two gears that are quite good to ride fast. Sometimes it does not work because some issues. So you need to repair

Actually i want to give it to you because you really need it and you already like my bicycle so i thought i should give it to you. Secondly, I know you were unable to find identical bicycle and you got upset.

Your lovingly,

Sunpreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain that a new bike means you no longer use this one, describe its black colour and two gears, and say your friend needs it and already likes it. The purpose of offering the bicycle is clear, and the details are relevant. Some points, however, are less fully explained: “I am taller than bicycle” does not clearly explain why your height makes the bicycle unsuitable, and the bicycle’s condition is only briefly mentioned through “some issues” and the need for repair. Develop these details more clearly—for example, explain what needs fixing and whether the bicycle is still safe to ride. A more complete description would make the offer more convincing and fully informative for your friend.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, moving from the reason for selling to a description and then to why your friend might want the bicycle. Paragraph breaks help separate these topics, and linking expressions such as “However,” “Moreover,” and “Furthermore” show attempts to connect ideas. At times, though, the links feel mechanical or do not express the relationship clearly: “Moreover” and “Furthermore” introduce closely related reasons, while “So” before the bicycle details does not create a clear transition. The final paragraph also repeats the idea that your friend needs and likes the bicycle. Use fewer, more precise connectors and make each paragraph progress from one point to the next without repeating the same reason.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough everyday vocabulary to communicate the main message, including “sell,” “gears,” “repair,” and “upset.” The bicycle’s colour and your friend’s interest are also expressed in understandable terms. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “put it in rubbish bin,” “go school,” and “identical bicycle.” “Some issues” is too vague to tell your friend what is wrong with the bicycle. Choose more specific, natural expressions, such as describing the particular repair needed or saying that your friend has been looking for a similar model. This greater precision would make the letter clearer and more persuasive while retaining its friendly tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple sentences and some longer forms, including “I have been using it since grade 10” and sentences beginning with “However” and “because.” The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors occur. For example, “I am taller than bicycle” needs an article and a clearer comparison, and “you need a bicycle to go school” is missing a preposition. In “Sometimes it does not work because some issues,” the clause is incomplete; a form such as “because it has some issues” would be grammatical. The final paragraph also needs consistent capitalisation and punctuation. Practise articles, prepositions, and complete clauses, while keeping the useful mix of sentence types you already attempt.

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

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