Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-01

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 5.5)

Dear Olive,

I'm writting this letter to sell you a bicycle.

I got new job in a city and to commute there I need a car. Due to a recent changes, I didnot get time to ride a bilycle; therefore, doctor have adviced me to do less physiral activities due to my health issues.

My bike is in a good shape, as I purchased it last year. There is no scratch on it and it runs smothly. Although there is a little cut on a seat, you can use it. The appropriat condition of my bicycle is usable and looks like a new asset.

I'm aware that you are looking for a cycle from a long time. Since you take care your health, it its having a cycle could be benificial equipment in your daily exercise.

warm wishes

Arshdeep Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt: explaining why you are no longer using the bike, describing its condition, and suggesting why your friend would like it. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped. For instance, the description of the bicycle could be more detailed to make it more persuasive. To improve, ensure you expand on your points to meet the word count requirement and provide more descriptive language to fully satisfy the task instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, each addressing a specific part of the prompt. You have used some basic cohesive devices such as 'therefore' and 'although' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where the connection between ideas is slightly abrupt. To improve, try to use a wider range of linking words and ensure that the transition between your explanation for selling the bike and the description of the bike is smoother. Overall, the structure is clear enough for the reader to follow your message.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for a personal letter, but there are several spelling errors, such as 'writting', 'bilycle', 'physiral', 'smothly', and 'appropriat'. These errors occasionally distract the reader. You have attempted to use some descriptive language, but the range is somewhat limited. To reach a higher band, focus on accurate spelling and try to incorporate more precise adjectives to describe the bicycle's condition and benefits. For example, instead of saying 'good shape', you could use 'excellent condition' or 'well-maintained'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'I got new job' (missing article), 'didnot get time' (spelling/spacing), 'doctor have adviced' (subject-verb agreement), and 'you take care your health' (missing preposition). These errors are noticeable and sometimes impede the clarity of your message. To improve, pay closer attention to basic grammar rules like subject-verb agreement, article usage, and verb tenses. Proofreading your work for these common errors before finishing will help improve your accuracy.

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

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