Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-12

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 express my feeling to give away my bike which I no longer use it .

I would like offer my bicycle as now I have moved to different city as. in yhe city I am residing right now dont have bike lane as they only have roads to drive cars . The condition of bicycle is still better as you can use until 2 years Few months ago in summer I had done service of my bike in showroom and I do have a certificate of it as they meintaioned in it that tires are running good and oil has been changed.

I belive you would be great person to have it as i remember that you wanted a bicycle few months as your workplace was near to your house . As long as i know it was 3 kms away .

I hope you recieve my letter and respond me ad soon as possible as I would love to deliver this soon. Best regards .

Thank you,

Bhavika patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover all three required points: you explain that moving to a city without bike lanes means you no longer use the bicycle, describe its condition and recent servicing, and connect it to your friend’s short commute. These details make the offer relevant and understandable. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The bicycle’s description focuses mainly on its maintenance and does not say what it looks like or what type it is, while the reason your friend might want it could be explained more persuasively. The opening also says “give away,” although the task is to sell the bicycle, so make the offer and expected price clear. A more direct, friendly letter would address the purpose immediately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a generally coherent order: it introduces the offer, explains why you no longer need the bicycle, describes its condition, and then gives a reason your friend may want it. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages. Some connections are less smooth or clear, however. The opening sentence is separated from the explanation, and the long second paragraph combines the move, lack of bike lanes, servicing, and certificate details in one sequence. Phrases such as “as long as I know” do not clearly express the intended relationship, and the closing repeats the request for a response and delivery without a clear transition. Use shorter, focused paragraphs and straightforward links such as “Since I moved…” and “I thought of you because…”.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “bike lane,” “service,” “certificate,” and “workplace.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or combinations sound unnatural, which sometimes makes the reader pause. For example, “express my feeling to give away my bike” is not a natural way to introduce a sale, and “the condition of bicycle is still better” is unclear. There are also spelling errors such as “belive,” “recieve,” and “meintaioned,” alongside informal or imprecise wording such as “3 kms away.” Choose familiar but accurate expressions, and check spelling carefully. More precise vocabulary for the bicycle’s features and condition would make the description more informative.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including explanations with “as” and a relative clause in “the certificate… that tires are running good.” The main message is usually understandable, but errors in sentence construction and verb forms sometimes make it difficult to follow. For example, “I would like offer” needs an infinitive marker, and “which I no longer use it” repeats the object. The sentence beginning “as now I have moved…” contains an incomplete, confusing construction, while “I hope you… respond me” lacks the appropriate grammatical pattern. Punctuation and capitalisation are also inconsistent, especially around sentence boundaries. Practise building complete sentences with one clear main clause, then check verb forms, articles, and punctuation.

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.