Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Jay,

I hope you are doing well. Firstly, I want to give you a great news as my father gifted me a new car! As I will be using the car from now on to commute, I will not need my bicycle, and that's the main reason I am writing to you today.

As you already know, it's the latest fat bike of MI company which has got some amazing features like dual jumpers, disc brakes, and is fully loaded with 21 gears, which includes 7 at the rear and 3 at the front. Additionally, I have also installed good-quality mud guards recently.

As I was thinking of selling it, I just had a thought of you in my mind, as you were the most impressed when you first saw the bike. Also, it would really help you for your commute to college as it's not too far. On top of that, I really think you should utilise this mainly in order to get back in shape.

Thanks,

Nishant

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for selling the bike (getting a car), provide a detailed description of the bicycle's features, and offer a persuasive argument for why your friend would benefit from it. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and informal register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. No information is missing, and the response is fully relevant to the task instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your message easily. You use appropriate cohesive devices such as 'Firstly,' 'Additionally,' and 'On top of that' to link your sentences and paragraphs. The transition between the reason for selling and the description of the bike is smooth. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for the context, such as 'commute,' 'fully loaded,' and 'utilise.' There is a minor error in the phrase 'a great news,' as 'news' is an uncountable noun and should be used without the article 'a.' However, this does not impede communication. You use descriptive terms effectively to characterize the bicycle, showing an ability to convey specific information clearly. The vocabulary is natural and fits the informal tone of a letter to a friend well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences with relative clauses ('which has got some amazing features') and conditional-like structures ('as I will be using the car... I will not need my bicycle'). Most of your sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There is a slight awkwardness in 'I just had a thought of you in my mind,' which could be phrased more naturally. Punctuation is generally correct, and the minor grammatical slips do not interfere with the reader's understanding.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.