Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-12

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 Aman,

I hope you are doing well,

Firstly, i want to tell you that I had bought a new bike yesterday. My uncle who came from abroad has gifted me bike.

I want to tell you that I am not going to use my bicycle from now onwards. I will be riding my new bike to go to my work place or anywhere i want to go. So i decided to make it useful for you to use it for your connivence.

Moreover, the bicycle is really in good position to ride nearby. It is black colour with back seat as well also along with helmet.

I know you like the bicycles most. So i just wanted to inform you to have my bicycle. Also, it will help you to ride to your tuitions effectively and will safe your time.

Yours lovingly,

Shan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining why you are no longer using the bike, describing it, and suggesting why your friend would like it. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. The ideas are relevant but somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the description of the bicycle is quite basic, mentioning only the color and the inclusion of a helmet. To improve, you should expand on the features of the bike or provide more specific details about why your friend would benefit from it, ensuring you meet the length requirement to fully develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your message. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Also' to connect your ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel a bit repetitive. The use of referencing is generally clear, though the structure of the sentences within paragraphs could be more fluid. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the progression between sentences feels more natural rather than relying on simple list-like connectors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for a personal letter but remains quite basic. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'I want to tell you' and 'I know you like'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'good position' instead of 'good condition' and 'connivence' instead of 'convenience'. To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and precise collocations related to bicycles or personal items. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you express your ideas with more precision and sophistication, moving beyond simple, everyday language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'i want' (lowercase 'i'), 'I had bought' (incorrect tense usage), 'safe your time' (should be 'save'), and 'back seat as well also' (redundant). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with commas and capitalization. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage for past events, and consistent capitalization. Proofreading your work for these common errors will significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

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

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