Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-10

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 sarah,

I am writing to let you know i am planning to sell my bicycle, and i thought you might be interested in buying it.

Recently i bought a car for commuting to my work and errands

The bicycle in black in car that i purchased two years ago when i came t canada. It is in very good condition and it has 21 gears, comfortable and adjustable seats. I have always kept it clean and regularly maintained it.

I immediately thought of you because i know you enjoy cycling and often go for cycling on weekend. Since you also mentioned now you are planning go to work by cycle. Thus, this would be best option for you.

Let me know now if ypu want , we can arrange time to look it.

With regards,

Joban

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for selling, a description of the bike, and why the friend would like it. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. While the purpose is clear, the content is quite brief and lacks the depth required for a higher band score. To improve, you should expand on your descriptions—for example, by adding more detail about the bike's brand or specific cycling trips you took—and ensure you meet the minimum word count to fully develop your response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, and the progression of ideas is generally clear. You use some cohesive devices like 'Since' and 'Thus' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'The bicycle in black in car that i purchased', which makes the connection between sentences slightly confusing. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your sentences flow naturally into one another. Paragraphing is present, but the overall structure could be more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it is somewhat basic and repetitive. You use simple descriptors like 'very good condition' and 'clean'. There are also some errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'go for cycling on weekend' (should be 'go cycling on the weekend') and 'go to work by cycle' (should be 'commute by bicycle'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to cycling or selling items, and pay closer attention to common collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including capitalization issues ('i', 'sarah', 'canada'), missing articles ('in black', 'to my work'), and incorrect verb forms ('planning go to work'). While the meaning is generally understandable, these errors are persistent. You rely mostly on simple sentence structures. To improve, work on your control of basic grammar, particularly subject-verb agreement and the use of articles. Additionally, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or conditional sentences, to demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

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

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