Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-14

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 7.0)

Dear Manan,

I am writing this letter to inform you about my bicycle which I bought 3 months ago. Actually, I am looking forward for someone who might actually need it and so I thought about you. I got a new electric bicycle from my uncle as my birthday present last week, and now I am going to ride it everyday to the school. I still remember that you were also willing to have a new bicycle but because of the expenses in your house , you are unable to get a new one.

So as a friend, I would like to sell you my bicycle for free as it is of no use for me. Let me just tell you the features and looks of the bicycle. So, first of all it is red and black in color with 7 gears. Also it has thick tyres with disc breaking system in it. You can also adjust the seat and the handle of the bicycle according your comfortability. It also have 2 big suspension, one on the front and one at the back so that even if you are crossing up a speed breaker in speed, you will be able to easily handle up the jerk after jumping from it. You will for sure enjoy riding up this bicycle and also as I know that your bicycle is also pretty old, so you will get a new one in good condition.

I hope you like and enjoy your new ride soon. Whenever you get this letter, just come to my house and we will go to your house on both of our new bicycles. Also, we will go to school together.

Your regards,

Yatharth

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three required points clearly. You explain that you no longer need the bicycle because your uncle gave you an electric one, describe its colour, gears, tyres, brakes, adjustable parts and suspension, and give a personal reason your friend may want it: he has an old bicycle and has been unable to afford a replacement. The offer to give it to him for free also makes your purpose clear. These details develop the main ideas well and keep the letter relevant. To make the response even more complete, clarify the apparent difference between saying you want to sell the bicycle and offering it “for free”; a consistent offer would remove this small ambiguity.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear progression: you introduce the bicycle and explain why you no longer need it, describe its features, then invite your friend to collect it and ride together. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and links such as “Actually,” “So,” and “Also” help connect points. However, some transitions are repetitive or slightly mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “So” and “Also.” The long feature paragraph also combines the bicycle’s appearance, equipment, comfort and riding experience, so grouping related details more deliberately would improve flow. Use a wider range of natural links and clearer references between ideas to make the organisation feel more polished.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to describe the bicycle and explain its appeal, including “disc braking system,” “thick tyres,” “suspension” and “adjust the seat.” These details make the letter specific and understandable. There are, however, some inaccurate or unnatural choices and collocations, such as “looking forward for someone,” “comfortability,” “crossing up a speed breaker in speed,” and “handle up the jerk.” “Sell you my bicycle for free” is also an imprecise expression for the intended offer. Choose more natural phrases, such as “looking for someone,” “for your comfort,” and “ride over a speed bump.” Greater precision and more idiomatic wording would strengthen the vocabulary while preserving your clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes both simple statements and longer sentences with subordinate clauses, for example, “I got a new electric bicycle from my uncle as my birthday present last week, and now I am going to ride it…” This shows some range, and the message remains easy to follow. Some grammatical errors persist, including “I am looking forward for,” “according your comfortability,” “It also have,” and “two big suspension.” These involve prepositions, agreement and plural forms. The sentence about crossing a speed breaker is also difficult to control because several ideas are joined together. Review agreement and countable nouns, and divide long explanations into shorter sentences. More consistent accuracy across these structures would make the letter smoother.

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

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