Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-17

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 Tope,

Hello. Hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to inform you that I have decided to sell my bicycle the one that my dad presented to me on 25th birthday celebration.

The reason why I want to sell it is that my dad bought another one for me a day to my last birthday. He told me to give the old bicycle out that in order for to enjoy the new one. My dad spoils me a lot.

My bicycle is a new model as I explained to you on the phone the last time we spoke. I don't wish to sell it another person apart from because I know you love bicycle too. And it is wine color your favourite.

I am very certain you will like my bicycle because it two front light which you have told you want in a bicycle.

I am looking forward to s

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points: explaining why you are selling 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 brief, focusing only on the color and the lights. Additionally, the letter ends abruptly mid-sentence, which is a significant issue as it prevents the completion of the task. To improve, ensure you provide more descriptive detail and always complete your closing remarks to ensure a professional and finished tone.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical or disjointed. For example, the transition between the reason for selling and the description of the bike feels abrupt. You use some basic cohesive devices like 'The reason why' and 'because', but the overall progression of ideas could be smoother. The abrupt ending also disrupts the coherence of the final paragraph. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring your ideas are fully connected would improve your score in this area.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for a personal letter, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'my dad' and 'my bicycle'. There are also some word choice errors, such as 'give the old bicycle out' (should be 'give away') and 'sell it another person' (missing 'to'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied adjectives to describe the bicycle and use more natural collocations. For example, instead of 'wine color', you could use 'burgundy' or 'deep red'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'the one that my dad presented to me on 25th birthday' is missing articles, and 'it two front light' is missing a verb ('has') and pluralization ('lights'). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures. While you attempt some complex sentences, they often contain errors, such as 'in order for to enjoy'. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically sound.

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

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