Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-08

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 Ali,

Hope you're doing well. I would like to say that I want to sell my bicycle to you. I believe that it will be very beneficial for you because I know that you need a bicycle. My bicycle is in good condition and good to use.

Dear friend, I got admission in a hostel. I'll be move in next month. I bought this bike 10 days ago, but fate had something else in store. However, that is the main reason I can't use this bicycle anymore.

Therefore, I think I sell it to you If you will buy this, not only I will be happy but also it will be safe.

On the one hand, it is in good condition, even I could use it only few days. It has one ring bell, also I have their warranty paper. It is in blue color.

On the other hand, I know how much you are responsible so I believe that you should to buy it from me .

best wishes

Aslaam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining why you are no longer using the bike, describing it, and explaining why your friend would like it. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the description of the bicycle is quite basic, mentioning only the color and the bell. To reach a higher band, you should provide more descriptive detail, such as the type of bike (e.g., mountain bike, road bike) or its specific features. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, though the structure of the arguments could be more cohesive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your message. You use some cohesive devices like 'Therefore', 'On the one hand', and 'On the other hand'. However, the use of these connectors is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as using 'On the one hand' to introduce a description of the bike's condition. Additionally, the transition between the opening and the explanation of why you are selling the bike is a bit abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences would make your writing feel more natural and coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'condition', 'warranty', and 'responsible'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'I got admission in a hostel' (should be 'I have been admitted to a hostel') and 'I think I sell it to you' (should be 'I am thinking of selling it to you'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and natural collocations to describe the bicycle and your situation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'I'll be move in' (should be 'I will be moving in'), 'I could use it only few days' (should be 'I only used it for a few days'), and 'you should to buy it' (should be 'you should buy it'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are noticeable and occur regularly. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct verb forms will help improve your accuracy.

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

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