Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-26

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 8.0)

Dear Saloni,

Hope you're doing well.

Do you remember my e-bike that I bought last summer? I am sure you would as you were extremely impressed with it. Lately, I have decided to sell that bicycle and you were the first person who came into my mind.

Last week, on my birthday my grandparents gifted me a new e-bike and so I decided to giveaway the old one. As you have seen, the bicycle is made by popular brand Avon and it is black in color. You can even charge the bike with electricity and will always have the option to switch between paddling manually or riding it on electrically.

You know that I have rarely used it since I bought it and I can say its still in almost new condition. Also, you wanted the similar kind of bicycle that's why I thought of asking you before anyone else. I purchased it for $800 but I would give it to you for just $500. We can always negotiate the cost but just let me know when you make your mind about it.

With lots of love,

Neha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why you are selling the bike (receiving a new one as a gift), provided a description (Avon brand, black, electric features), and explained why your friend would be interested (she previously expressed interest in this type of bike). The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose of the communication is clear throughout. The response is well-developed and maintains a consistent focus on the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your ideas easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Lately', 'Also', and 'As you have seen' to link your thoughts. The paragraphing is appropriate for a personal letter. To reach a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of linking words to ensure the flow between sentences feels even more natural and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for this task, such as 'extremely impressed', 'negotiate', and 'condition'. There are a few minor word choice errors, such as 'giveaway' (which should be the verb 'give away') and 'paddling' (which should be 'pedaling'). Despite these, the meaning is always clear, and you use enough variety to convey your message effectively. Focusing on correct verb forms and common collocations will help you achieve a higher score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Do you remember my e-bike that I bought last summer?' and 'You can even charge the bike with electricity and will always have the option to switch...'. While there are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'you were the first person who came into my mind' (should be 'to my mind') and 'make your mind about it' (should be 'make up your mind'), these do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are clear and accurate.

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