Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-02

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 Saroj,

How are you doing? Hope you are well. I'm writing to inform you that I'm going to sell my bicycle urgently.

Last time when we meet you show interest in my bicycle. You really liked and loved it. I'm no longer using this bicycle because I moved to Kathmandu for my further studies. I am unable to carry this vehicles there so I informed if you are interested you can purchase it.

You know it is new and latest model which runs very well. It is black in color and looks attractive, promote physical fitness. It can be an efficient way to travel, especially in urban areas. I think you would like my bicycle because you enjoy outdoor activities and likes exploring new places. It reduces the transportation cost as well.

I look forward to hear a positive response from you.

Best wishes,

Radhika

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: the reason for selling, a description of the bicycle, and why the friend would like it. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the overall task completion. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, though the development of ideas is somewhat brief. To improve, you should expand on the description of the bike or the reasons for selling to ensure the word count requirement is met and the ideas are more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the message. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition between the reason for selling and the description of the bike is a bit abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition') would improve the flow and help connect your ideas more naturally throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly, such as 'efficient way to travel' and 'outdoor activities'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'carry this vehicles' (should be 'transport this vehicle') and 'inform if you are interested' (should be 'let you know'). Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise adjectives and idiomatic expressions would help you reach a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Last time when we meet' (should be 'met'), 'you show interest' (should be 'showed'), and 'I look forward to hear' (should be 'hearing'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they occur frequently enough to affect the overall accuracy. Focusing on verb tense consistency and correct preposition usage will significantly improve your writing.

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

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