Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-30

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 Joy,

How are you doing? hope life is treating you well. l am writing to let you know why l am no longer using my bicycle for some now. the bicycle was bought for when l was 3 years old in class 2. now l am 7 years old l can no longer use it because l am bigger than it now, the bicycle cannot hold me strong as before when l was comfortable riding it round the house.

My bicycle is very small but portable with green colour and red light in front head lap and white light at the back sit.

l will love to give it out to Jame our house friend because he is just 2 years old and the bicycle will fix him very well. Beside he has be eyeing my ride ever since my mother gave it to me as my birthday present.

l hope you will support and be happy as l give it out to him by next week as his birthday gift.

your faithfully,

Vivian

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three required points: you explain that the bicycle is now too small, describe its colour and lights, and say that the two-year-old child would be a suitable recipient because he has admired it. These details make the purpose clear and relevant. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The reason for no longer using it is explained, but the description could include more useful details about its condition or features, and the explanation of why your friend would like it is complicated by the shift from addressing Joy to giving it to Jame. Clarify who is receiving the bicycle and make the offer directly to your friend to complete the task more clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information follows a generally sensible order: you explain the bicycle’s history and why it no longer fits, describe it, and then discuss giving it away. The opening and closing also help the reader recognise this as a letter. Some connections and references are not fully clear, however. You address Joy but later say you will give the bicycle to “Jame our house friend,” so the reader may be unsure whether Joy or Jame is the intended recipient. The long first paragraph combines several ideas, while the description and offer would be easier to follow in separate, clearly focused paragraphs. Use linking phrases selectively and make names and pronouns consistent to improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including descriptive details such as “green colour,” “portable,” and the bicycle’s front and rear lights. There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “birthday present” and “birthday gift.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unclear, including “for some now,” “hold me strong,” “red light in front head lap,” and “eyeing my ride.” These choices sometimes make the reader work to understand the intended meaning. Aim for more natural phrases such as “for some time,” “support my weight,” “a red light on the front,” and “has wanted it for a long time.” Check spelling and word forms as well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The letter includes both simple sentences and attempts to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example, “I can no longer use it because I am bigger than it now.” This shows some range, and the main message is usually understandable. However, errors in sentence construction and verb forms occur in several places. For instance, “the bicycle was bought for when I was 3 years old” does not clearly express when it was bought, and “he has be eyeing” needs a correctly formed verb phrase. There are also missing sentence openings and inconsistent capitalisation, such as “hope life” and repeated lowercase “l.” Practise accurate past and present-perfect forms, and use full stops to separate ideas in longer sentences.

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

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