Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-21

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 6.5)

Dear Tim,

I hope you are doing well. Yesterday I just noticed that my new bicycle is left unused in my garage for a couple of months.I am planing to sell the bicycle because it is no longer useful to me because I am moving to my mothers place and wishes to stay there for a long time with her. I will give a short brief about the bicycle It is a brand new bicycle which haven't used much I only used it occassionaly in the evenings for fun rides. It is black in colour with yellow stickers give it a attractive look. The parts of bicycle such as rear light, tail lamp, handles, brakes and side signals are working perfectly. I was heard from your neighbour that you uses public transport for travelling for work. So I thought that the bicycle is a excellent choice and It would be definetly helpfull to you. I am looking forward to hearing from you and expecting a call anytime you are free and we can discuss the prices.

Thank you.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all three bullet points required in the prompt. First, the writer clearly explains why the bicycle is no longer in use, stating they are moving to their mother's place for an extended period. Second, the bicycle is adequately described, mentioning its brand-new condition, black colour with yellow stickers, and fully functioning parts like lights and brakes. Finally, the letter provides a logical reason why the friend would appreciate the item, noting that the friend relies on public transport for work. The tone is appropriately informal and friendly throughout, suitable for a letter to a friend. The purpose of the communication is entirely clear and all parts of the prompt are well-integrated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter maintains a clear logical flow from the opening greeting to the closing remarks. Ideas are connected using basic cohesive devices such as 'because', 'and', and 'so', though paragraphing is lacking as the entire body of the letter is written as a single block of text. Breaking the text into distinct paragraphs for each bullet point would significantly enhance the visual structure and readability. Referencing is mostly clear, though sentences occasionally run on without sufficient punctuation, making the progression slightly mechanical in places. Overall, the organization is coherent enough to guide the reader smoothly through the message.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for a general correspondence task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'occasionaly', 'attractive look', and 'public transport'. However, there are some spelling and word choice inaccuracies, such as 'planing' instead of 'planning', 'occassionaly', and the awkward phrase 'give it a attractive look' instead of 'giving it an attractive look'. Additionally, the phrase 'I was heard from your neighbour' contains a grammatical error in lexical collocation. While these minor errors are present, they do not impede overall communication, and the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses with 'because' and 'so'. However, grammatical control is somewhat inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including tense and verb-form mistakes like 'bicycle is left unused', 'haven't used much', 'you uses', and 'It would be definetly helpfull'. Punctuation is also weak, marked by run-on sentences and a missing period after 'a long time with her'. Despite these errors, meaning remains clear throughout the letter, which places it securely within the mid-range for grammatical accuracy.

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

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