Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-23

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 8.0)

Dear Alex,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing because I have a bicycle that I no longer use, and I thought you might be interested in having it.

The main reason I stopped using it is that I recently bought a car, so I usually drive to work and for shopping. Besides, I have been quite busy with my job and do not have much time to go cycling anymore. As a result, the bicycle has been sitting in my garage for several months.

It is a blue mountain bike with 21 gears and strong, comfortable tyres. It is about three years old, but it is still in very good condition. I have taken good care of it and regularly checked the brakes, tyres and chain. There are a few small scratches on the frame, but they do not affect its performance.

I think you would really like it because you often cycle to the park and have told me that you want to become more active. The bike is light and easy to ride, so it would be perfect for both short trips and weekend cycling. I can also give you a helmet and a lock if you are interested.

Let me know what you think. I would be happy to show it to you this weekend.

Best wishes,

Sam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained why you are no longer using the bicycle (purchasing a car and lack of time), provided a detailed description of the bike (blue mountain bike, 21 gears, condition), and gave a persuasive reason why your friend would enjoy it (their interest in cycling and fitness). The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, meeting all the requirements of the task effectively.

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 task, which helps the reader follow your message easily. You have used cohesive devices such as 'The main reason', 'As a result', and 'In addition' (implied through structure) effectively to link your sentences and paragraphs. The transition between explaining why you are selling the bike and describing its features is smooth. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is natural and appropriate for the context of a personal letter. Phrases such as 'sitting in my garage', 'taken good care of it', and 'affect its performance' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is not highly sophisticated, it is precise and fits the task perfectly. There are no spelling errors, and the word choices are consistently correct, allowing for a smooth and easy reading experience throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is very strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use a variety of tenses correctly, such as the present perfect ('I have been quite busy') and the past simple ('I recently bought'). Punctuation is used accurately throughout, and there are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The sentence construction is varied, which makes the writing engaging and fluent. The control over complex structures is consistent, and the overall accuracy is high.

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

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