Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-04

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You let a friend stay at your apartment while you were away on a trip. When you returned home, you discovered that a valuable possession was broken.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
• describe the broken possession.
• explain why it is important to you.
• explain what you would like your friend to do.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Raman,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing regarding one of my important belongings had been damaged during my absence, so I want to discuss it with you.

Firstly, the item that was damaged my studio mic. The cover is cracked, and one of the external output slot is cracked, and one of the front wire is also broken. Although the damage my seem minor, the mic is no longer in its original condition.

The mic means great deal to me because it was gift from my school music teacher 5 year ago before he passed away. Whenever I see it, I remember the happy moments I spent with him. Moreover, as you know I am fond of of music, so I have posted my singing videos on socia

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the item, explaining its importance, and stating the desired action. However, the response is incomplete as it cuts off mid-sentence at the end, and it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words. Because the letter is unfinished, the final bullet point regarding what you would like your friend to do is not fully developed or concluded. To improve, ensure you complete the letter with a clear request and a closing salutation, and expand on your ideas to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter shows a basic logical progression, with paragraphs used to separate the description of the item from its personal significance. However, the abrupt ending significantly disrupts the flow and coherence of the text. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly' and 'Moreover', but the overall structure is compromised by the incomplete nature of the writing. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear concluding thought and that the letter follows a standard structure with a proper sign-off.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some specific terms like 'studio mic' and 'external output slot'. However, there are several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'my studio mic' instead of 'is my studio mic' and 'the damage my seem minor' instead of 'may seem'. There is also a repetition of the word 'cracked'. To improve, try to use a wider variety of descriptive adjectives and ensure correct word forms are used to convey your meaning more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense issues ('had been damaged' instead of 'was damaged') and missing articles ('as gift' instead of 'as a gift'). The sentence structure is mostly simple, with some attempts at complex sentences that contain errors, such as 'the item that was damaged my studio mic'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the incomplete ending prevents a full assessment of your ability to manage complex structures. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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