Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-06

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 5.0)

Dear Jaideep,

I hope you are doing great.

I have pink electric bicycle, but my father also bought me new car, so i no longer needed my bicycle. It is pink electric bicycle almost. It was only driven approx 200km. It is in very good condition almost like new bicycle. Last week i met your mon and she mentioned that you are looking to buy new bicycle. I was wondering if you want to buy my bicycle in budget friendly price. If you are interested, you can reply back to this email or you can call me at my number.

Good day

Amandeep

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers all three bullet points: explaining why you are no longer using the bike, describing it, and suggesting why the friend would like it. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely limits the development of your ideas. To achieve a higher band, you need to expand on your points—for example, by describing the bicycle's features in more detail or explaining the benefits of the bike for your friend's specific needs. Because the length requirement was not met, the task is only partially addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the reason for selling to the description and finally the offer. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the letter is presented as a single block of text. Furthermore, the use of cohesive devices is very limited, making the flow feel somewhat mechanical. To improve, you should use more varied linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition') and ensure that you use clear paragraph breaks to separate your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, relying heavily on simple descriptors like 'good' and 'new'. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'almost like new bicycle' and 'in budget friendly price'. The range of vocabulary is limited, which prevents you from expressing your ideas with precision or natural style. To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and more natural collocations related to buying and selling items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('I have pink electric bicycle'), incorrect pronoun usage ('i' should be capitalized), and tense inconsistencies. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with very few attempts at complex sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and punctuation is noticeable. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, consistent capitalization, and the correct use of articles will help improve your accuracy.

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

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