Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-02

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 5.0)

dear friend,

how are you i hope you will fine. i am writing this letter to you for inform you that i am selling my bicycle because i am not using it for longer using then i need to go outside to get anything i use my bike. now i join my classes in city which is difficult to go on bicycle it take to much time to reach at my tuition class.my bicycle new you know how much i used it .every thing is fine like breaks,tire and iron quality. my friend i see you like my cycle and you enjoyed with my cycle and your mom also told my mom if see cycle like same with you child then tell us also becuase you like it .so i like to sell my cycle to you my friend and we are best friends .

Thank you

Harsimran singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response partially addresses all parts of the task, meeting the prompt's main requirements by explaining the reason for selling the bicycle, describing its condition, and noting why the friend would like it. However, the length requirement is not met, as the response falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum at 149 words. The ideas are limited and under-developed due to the brevity and repetitive nature of the points. For instance, the explanation regarding the transition to city classes and the description of the bike's parts ('breaks, tire and iron quality') are somewhat simplistic. To reach a higher level, the ideas need to be more fully extended and supported with greater detail, and the length requirement must be securely fulfilled.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response shows some basic organization, but there is a lack of clear overall progression and logical paragraphing. The entire text is essentially presented as a single block of writing with minimal separation, starting with 'dear friend,' and ending abruptly. Cohesive devices are largely inadequate or repetitive, relying heavily on basic conjunctions like 'and' and 'so' rather than a variety of linking words to guide the reader smoothly through the letter. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as the run-on sentence structure in the middle regarding the mother and child. To improve cohesion, the writer should organize the ideas into distinct paragraphs with clear topic sentences and use a wider range of appropriate cohesive devices.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The lexical resource is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic message. The vocabulary used is quite basic and repetitive, such as the frequent repetition of the words 'bicycle,' 'cycle,' 'friend,' and 'use.' There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations that require the reader to decode the meaning, such as 'for inform you,' 'iron quality,' and spelling issues like 'breaks' instead of 'brakes' and 'becuase'. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary, incorporate less common lexical items with correct word forms, and pay closer attention to natural phrasing and spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response displays a very limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences joined by coordinating conjunctions or run-on structures without proper punctuation. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense and verb form issues ('i am not using it for longer using,' 'now i join my classes,' 'it take to much time'), missing capitalization, and absence of full stops or commas to demarcate sentences. These frequent errors can cause difficulty and strain for the reader. To improve, the writer should incorporate a mix of accurate simple and complex sentence forms, ensure proper subject-verb agreement, and apply correct punctuation.

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

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