Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-30

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 6.5)

Dear Gurdeep,

How are you,

i want to sell my old bicycle between $250 because nowadays i have new cycle which is gifted by my father on my eighteenth birthday so these days i always used it in my daily life. If i give information regarding my previous bicycle features. it is red colour and a bell on steering as well as new honda tyres. Along with this, it speed is very frequent.

i think it is better for Gurdeep because he belong to poor family so he can easily afford it without any headache so he can easily go far away by using it because he can not buy new one so it is better option for him. Because, nowadays, he start a college which is 30 km away from his home so he may easily reach there. it helps them not only wastage time but also money. I will wait your message if you want to buy it.

Your lovely,

Gagan Batth

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: explaining why the bike is no longer used, describing the bike, and suggesting why the friend would like it. However, the tone is inappropriate for a letter to a friend; describing a friend as belonging to a 'poor family' and suggesting they cannot afford a new bike is socially insensitive and lacks the appropriate register for a personal letter. While the ideas are relevant, the development is somewhat clumsy and lacks the natural flow expected in a friendly correspondence. The task is addressed, but the execution needs more tact and better-developed explanations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'because' and 'so'. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally confusing, particularly when switching between the writer and the friend. The overall progression of ideas is logical, but the lack of varied linking words and the awkward sentence structure hinder the flow of the letter, keeping it at a mid-range level.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. Phrases like 'new cycle', 'previous bicycle', and 'daily life' are basic. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'speed is very frequent' (which is incorrect; 'fast' or 'high speed' would be better) and 'without any headache'. The spelling of 'colour' is correct, but the overall range is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. The vocabulary is adequate to convey the basic message but lacks the precision and variety needed for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with article usage ('a college'), subject-verb agreement ('he start'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple or contain errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding, such as 'it helps them not only wastage time but also money'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters at the start of sentences and incorrect comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic structures prevents a higher score.

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