Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-28

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 Aman,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to tell you that I am selling my bicycle and thought you might be interested in buying it.

Recently, on my birthday, my parents gifted me a new bicycle. The new one is a scooter cum bicycle, which is more useful for me. Nevertheless, this is one of the reasons I wanted to sell this bicycle. Secondly, I was thinking of helping you for a long time and giving you this bicycle will serve my that purpose as well.

It is black in color and in a good condition. I bought it two years ago and never used it much because of my busy schedule. Moreover, it has four gears, which makes it perfect for riding on rugged landscapes.

In my opinion, you will definitely love this bicycle because it is in amazing shape and pocket friendly. I know that right now you are saving for your college fees. That is why I want to give you this bicycle for free. If you are interested in this offer you can come to my house to pick the bicycle.

I hope to see you soon.

Regards,

Nav

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You explained why you are no longer using the bike (a new gift), described the bike (black, two years old, four gears), and explained why your friend would like it (it is in good shape and free). The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, and the transition between the explanation of the new bike and the offer of the old one is smooth. You used cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Secondly', and 'That is why' effectively to link your sentences. The paragraphing is appropriate for a personal letter, and the overall structure is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'rugged landscapes' and 'pocket friendly' are used appropriately. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise adjectives or idiomatic expressions, but the current range is more than adequate for this task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are a few minor slips, such as 'serve my that purpose' (should be 'serve that purpose') and 'in a good condition' (should be 'in good condition'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not cause any confusion for the reader. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is generally accurate.

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