Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-12

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 meet,

I wish my letter find you and your well. I let you to stay at my home for couple of days though I was away from the town because I have a trust on you. Yesterday, I came back from the Udaipur but when I entered to my room, seen a broken watch on the table.

Moreover, this watch is very close to my heart because its given by my grandma to me on my 25th birthday and as you know she passed away so, it is very special watch for me. I want to know, how it broke? i know you very well, you want to let me know but i was on my trip so, you do not want to make me sad on my trip. i cna understand that.

Furthermore

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the watch, explaining its sentimental value, and requesting action. However, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly with 'Furthermore' without finishing the final paragraph or providing a closing. Additionally, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. To improve, ensure you fully develop your ideas and provide a complete, coherent letter structure including a proper sign-off. The tone is generally appropriate for a friend, but the lack of completion prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter shows some attempt at logical organization, using transition words like 'Moreover' and 'Furthermore'. However, the paragraphing is inconsistent and the letter ends mid-sentence, which disrupts the flow and coherence of the text. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that the letter follows a logical progression from the introduction to the conclusion. The abrupt ending significantly hinders the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several awkward phrasings, such as 'I wish my letter find you and your well' (should be 'I hope this letter finds you well') and 'I have a trust on you' (should be 'I trust you'). The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on basic structures. To improve, try to incorporate more natural collocations and avoid literal translations from your native language. Focus on using more precise adjectives to describe your feelings and the situation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tenses ('its given by my grandma'), articles ('a broken watch'), and sentence structure ('I let you to stay'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and incorrect capitalization. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and correct tense usage before attempting more complex grammatical forms.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.