Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-18

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 6.5)

Dear Rohan,

Hope you are doing well. Today, I am writing this letter to you regarding to sell my bicycle.

To begin with, 2 years back I bought bicycle because as i was part-time working in downtown and its very easy to commute. Now, situation is that i got full-time job in far from our hometown. Due to that i am no longer using my bicycle. So, i am thinking to sell it.

Let me give you more detail about my bicycle. This bicycle is from Hero company, color is black, it has 5 gears. At front there is one backet as well to keep something and stand to keep cellphone and bottle.

I am thinking that you would like to have this as you are studying in university. You travel there in public transport which cost you money. If you have this bicycle then you can utilize for daily commute.

I hope you would like buy my bicycle. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

Het

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: the reason for selling, a description of the bicycle, and why the friend would benefit from it. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the description of the bicycle is functional but lacks descriptive flair, and the explanation of why the friend would like it is a bit repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the benefits of the bike, perhaps mentioning its condition or how it would specifically improve your friend's daily routine.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a closing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different topics. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'To begin with' and 'Let me give you more detail' are functional but repetitive. The flow between sentences could be smoother; for example, the transition between the bike's features and the suggestion to the friend feels a bit abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words would improve the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some specific terms like 'commute', 'public transport', and 'part-time'. However, there are some inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'regarding to sell' (should be 'regarding selling') and 'keep something' (which is vague). The range is somewhat limited, relying on simple descriptors like 'black' and '5 gears'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and collocations to describe the condition and features of the bicycle.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include missing articles ('I bought bicycle'), incorrect preposition usage ('job in far from'), and subject-verb agreement issues ('it has 5 gears' is correct, but 'it cost you money' should be 'it costs you money'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are some minor slips. Focusing on article usage and verb tense consistency will help you move to a higher band.

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

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