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 Carol,

What's up doing bro? I am writing a letter to you that the bicycle I have, I am not using this from now, so i want to sell to you.

You know my mother is a government employee and she's transfer to another city, therefore we are unable to brought all things with us. We just taking necessery things because the place is too far from there and we have to spent too much money on Uhual to deleiver the household furniture and things that would be expensive. My mother decide that we will buy new things from the place where we are going, so we have to sold the things that we have.

So, You know I have a bicycle that I just bought last year. This cycle is totally in good condition and you also like it because you saw the picture on Instagram. It's the black color ranger cycle with gear and other inclusive features.

The reason I want you buy this bicycle from me is that you are my best friend and I too attached with this bicycle, Therefore if i sold you there will be a one satisfaction that the cycle bought by my loving one. The price will be the half of its original price approximately 500$ which will be worth it for both of us.

Waiting for your response.

Your Best Friend

Barely

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three required points: you explain that your family is moving because of your mother’s transfer, describe the bicycle as a black geared model in good condition, and give a reason your friend might want it. The personal connection and approximate price also make the offer clear. However, the explanation of the move takes up much of the letter, while the bicycle’s features and why Carol would specifically enjoy owning it are less fully developed. The reference to her having seen it on Instagram helps, but you could add a practical benefit, such as its suitability for commuting or leisure rides. Overall, the purpose is clear, though some relevant ideas need fuller development.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information is arranged in a generally logical sequence: the reason for selling comes first, followed by the bicycle’s description and the offer. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and links such as “therefore” and “So” make the progression easy to follow. The letter also has a clear opening and closing. Some connections are less smooth or repetitive, however: “You know” appears several times, and “The reason I want you buy this bicycle from me is that…” makes the final paragraph feel cumbersome. The shift from the family’s move to the bicycle could be more direct. More varied, natural transitions and clearer links between the bicycle’s qualities and Carol’s needs would strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main message, including terms such as “government employee,” “household furniture,” “gear,” and “original price.” However, the range is limited in places, and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors make the letter sound unnatural or occasionally unclear. Examples include “What's up doing bro?”, “totally in good condition,” “inclusive features,” and “one satisfaction.” “Deleiver” and “necessery” also show inaccurate spelling. Aim for natural phrases suited to a friendly letter, such as “How are you?”, “in excellent condition,” and “additional features.” More precise vocabulary for the bicycle and its benefits would make the offer more convincing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The letter attempts both simple and complex sentences, including a reason clause with “because” and a result clause with “therefore.” The main message remains understandable, but errors in verb forms, sentence construction, agreement, and punctuation are noticeable. For example, “she's transfer” should be “she has been transferred,” “unable to brought” should be “unable to bring,” and “we have to spent” should be “we have to spend.” The sentence beginning “The reason I want you buy…” also needs a grammatical pattern such as “The reason I want you to buy…”. Capitalisation after full stops and commas needs more consistent control. Practise accurate verb patterns and break long sentences into clearer units.

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

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