Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-09

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 6.0)

Dear Amanda,

I'm writing to you to ask if you would be interested in buying my pink bicycle that I rent for you last month.

This week I bought my first car, so I no longer need this bicycle to get to my work. However, this bicycle has a special meaning for me, as you know, I received it as a gift from my grandmother when I was 16 years old before she pass away.

As you experienced last month, my pink bicycle is still in perfect conditions after two years using it. It has new tyres that I changed one week ago, and new breaker. And, the more important, it is pink, which I know is your favorite colour.

I believe this bicyle would fit perfectly for you to go school.

Please, let me know if you are interested in my offer and I'm really happy to make you a special best friend price. Otherwise, I will make an announcement in Marketplace.

With love,

Giulia.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter covers all three required points: you explain that buying a car means you no longer need the bicycle, describe its pink colour and recently replaced parts, and connect it to Amanda’s needs and favourite colour. The personal detail about receiving it from your grandmother also gives the offer a warm, convincing context. The purpose is clear throughout. Some details, however, are not fully clear or developed: “that I rent for you last month” conflicts with the later claim that the bicycle is yours, and the reason Amanda would like it is mainly that it is pink and useful for getting to school. Clarifying the bicycle’s history and adding a specific benefit would make the case more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter follows a sensible sequence: the offer comes first, followed by the reason for selling, a description, and a closing request. Paragraphing helps separate these points, and the personal reference to Amanda’s experience links the description to the recipient. The overall progression is clear, though some connections are awkward or mechanical. For example, “However” introduces the bicycle’s sentimental value, which does not strongly contrast with the preceding point, while “And, the more important” is an unnatural transition. The opening phrase about renting the bicycle also makes the relationship between ideas difficult to follow. Use more precise links and ensure each paragraph develops one clear point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the offer and give the bicycle a personal description, including “special meaning,” “perfect conditions,” and “favorite colour.” The pink colour and new parts are relevant details, and the friendly tone suits a letter to a friend. However, several word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems reduce precision: “rent for you” does not express the intended ownership clearly, “new breaker” is unclear, and “bicyle” is misspelled. Phrases such as “special best friend price” and “make an announcement in Marketplace” are also unnatural. Choose familiar, accurate expressions—such as “a special price for you” and “list it on Marketplace”—before attempting more elaborate wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes a mix of simple and more complex forms, such as the sentence beginning “As you experienced last month” and the clause explaining why the bicycle suits Amanda. Most of the message remains understandable, and the closing is appropriately framed as a request. Some grammatical errors remain: “I rent for you last month” uses an incorrect verb form, “before she pass away” has an incorrect tense, and “to go school” is missing a preposition. The sentence beginning “As you know” also joins ideas awkwardly with commas. Review past-tense forms and sentence boundaries, and use “go to school.” These corrections would improve accuracy while preserving the letter’s natural, friendly style.

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

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