Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-24

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 5.0)

Hi Jone, I hope this massage find you well. I heard you searching for bicycle. Actually i just brought bicycle in last month and now I thought i want to get bike.

I was useing for one month its like new condition. If you want and planning to buy then let me know. We will discuss about price and everything. My bicycle colour is black and back side sit for one person and tyers are silver and middle of tyers attrective design. New thing it inclued with air pump with lock and fordeble basket for front side.

I thought you should take it I know you do every day gym. so its a helpful for when you use that bicycle it help with calary burn and do the muscles fit. If you need talk with me. Thank you, My sweet friend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining why you are selling the bike, describing it, and suggesting why your friend would like it. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. The ideas are present but lack sufficient development; for instance, the description of the bicycle is quite fragmented and lacks a natural flow. To improve, ensure you expand on your points with more descriptive language and ensure the letter meets the required length to fully develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is divided into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and often mechanical. There are issues with sentence-to-sentence flow, such as the abrupt transition between describing the bike and suggesting it to your friend. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall progression of ideas feels disjointed. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in addition') to connect your sentences and ideas more smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, which limits your ability to convey detail effectively. There are several spelling errors (e.g., 'massage' instead of 'message', 'tyers' instead of 'tires', 'fordeble' instead of 'foldable', 'calary' instead of 'calorie') and word choice issues (e.g., 'attrective design'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precision and the frequent spelling mistakes hinder the quality of the writing. You should focus on learning the correct spelling of common words and expanding your range of descriptive adjectives.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tenses ('I was useing'), article usage, and sentence structure ('I heard you searching for bicycle'). Many sentences are simple, and there is a lack of complex structures. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing and capitalization. These errors occasionally make the text difficult to read. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensure subject-verb agreement, and practice using a mix of simple and complex sentences to improve your grammatical range.

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

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