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)

Dear Eamon, rember that bicycle that you always wanted that i got for christmast that you were jealous of? Well i just got a new bicycle and i wanted to gift you my old one. The bicycle itself it quite old but its still in good condition, it has had some upgrades like its grip handle, lights, the seat, and the metal rods. You will need to repaint it as most of its origional colour was red with a white and black logo on the metal, some extra colors for decoration on its rims but it has mostly been scraped off. I think youd love it, one reason is because you used to steal my bike after school and ride it because you love it so much, plus i saw you begging your parents yo buy my exact model for christmast. So when can i bring it to you, or i can just bring it to class tomorrow and you can take it in person.

Regards, Dat

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three points: you explain that you have a new bicycle, describe the old one’s condition and features, and give personal reasons your friend might want it. The details about the upgraded grips, lights and seat, and your friend riding the bike after school, make the offer relevant and personal. The reason for no longer using it is clear but brief, while the bicycle’s description is more developed; the need to repaint it could also be explained more clearly so your friend understands its current appearance. The closing question about delivery is appropriate. To strengthen the response, develop the reason for replacing the bicycle and make the offer’s practical details more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas follow a sensible order: you introduce the offer, describe the bicycle, explain why your friend would like it, and ask about delivery. Linking phrases such as “Well,” “one reason is because,” and “plus” help connect the points, and the friendly tone suits a letter to a friend. However, the response is presented as one long paragraph, so the shifts from the offer to the description and then to your friend’s reasons are not clearly signposted. Some links, especially “one reason is because,” feel repetitive. Use separate paragraphs for the main stages of the letter and vary the transitions to make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of relevant everyday vocabulary, including “upgrades,” “grip handle,” “metal rods,” “logo,” and “rims,” which helps the reader picture the bicycle. The personal phrases “begging your parents” and “steal my bike” also convey your friend’s enthusiasm, though “steal” may sound stronger than intended in a friendly letter. Some spelling errors, including “christmast,” “origional,” and “repaint” is correctly used, reduce accuracy, and a few expressions are imprecise, such as “extra colors for decoration on its rims.” Aim for accurate spelling and more natural descriptions, for example, “decorative coloured details on the rims.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The letter includes both simple statements and longer sentences, such as the sentence describing the bicycle’s colour and logo and the explanation of why your friend would like it. Meaning is generally clear, but some errors in sentence boundaries, punctuation, and sentence structure make the writing less controlled. For example, “The bicycle itself it quite old” contains an unnecessary second “it,” while the opening runs several ideas together without clear sentence punctuation. Capitalise “I,” and use full stops or commas to separate the offer, description, and reasons. More accurate control of these patterns, alongside the longer sentences you attempt, would make the letter smoother and easier to read.

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

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