Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-20

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 6.0)

Dear Smith,

Hope you're hale and hearty!

I am writing this letter in order to inform you that I had made a decision to sell my bicycle because I do not have much time to use it. Moreover, construction work is doing in my accommodation from one month and this bicycle is standing vacant in my garage due to work and busy schedule.

Let me shed some light on this Firstly, this cycle is of black color and it has gears due to this you can easily increase or reduce the speed according to your wish. Besides this, it is the top model and its company is avengers which is well-known for its products.

Additionally, you recently told me that your doctor prescribes to do cycling on regular basis for your obesity. Furthermore, as a friend I can give you this bicycle on reasonable price along with this I used this cycle for only 6 months.

Looking forward to your prompt response!

Best regards,

James Peter.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You explained why you are selling the bike, described its features, and provided a clear reason 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 relevant and clearly presented, ensuring the reader understands the purpose of your communication. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the description of the bicycle to make it more vivid, but overall, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Firstly', 'Besides this', and 'Additionally' to connect your ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'Let me shed some light on this'. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a letter format. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences feels more conversational and less like a list of points.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'hale and hearty' and 'shed some light' show an attempt to use idiomatic language, although 'hale and hearty' is perhaps a bit archaic for a casual letter to a friend. There are some minor word choice issues, such as 'construction work is doing' (should be 'is being done') and 'on reasonable price' (should be 'at a reasonable price'). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but more precise collocations would elevate the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'I had made a decision' should be 'I have made a decision', and 'doctor prescribes to do cycling' should be 'doctor prescribed cycling'. Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as missing commas after introductory phrases like 'Let me shed some light on this'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will help.

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

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