Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-25

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 Alex,

How's everything, so sorry first of all for not spending time with you last weekend as you know I was at work. After returning from work I noticed a possession was broken and it is very important for me because my mother gifted it to me. As you know i am living far away from my mother and that is the reason i am emotionally connected with the item. She don't know about it yet.

I have hectic schedule as you know I work on weekends too so I have no time to repair it. The favor that I want from you is that there is a repair shop near to my house you can visit it and repair the possession as soon as possible. I don't want a new one as i mentioned you the reason already.

Thank You and sorry for the trouble!

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points: describing the item, explaining its importance, and requesting a repair. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the overall development of your ideas. While you mention the item is broken, you do not specify what the item actually is (e.g., a vase, a watch, or a camera), which makes the description vague. To improve, ensure you provide concrete details to fully satisfy the task requirements. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, but the lack of specific detail prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure for this task. You use some cohesive devices like 'as you know' and 'that is the reason,' though these are somewhat repetitive. The progression of ideas is clear, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother to improve the flow. For example, the jump from discussing the broken item to your work schedule is a bit abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words would help connect your ideas more naturally and improve the overall coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it is quite basic and repetitive. You use the word 'possession' twice in close proximity and rely on simple phrases like 'very important' and 'as soon as possible.' To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and precise nouns. For instance, instead of saying 'a possession was broken,' you could describe the specific damage to a 'vintage ceramic vase.' Expanding your range of vocabulary will allow you to express your thoughts with more precision and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that affect the accuracy of your writing. You have issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'She don't know' instead of 'She doesn't know.' Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as the lowercase 'i' when referring to yourself and missing commas in complex sentences. You rely mostly on simple sentence structures; to improve, try to incorporate more complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions like 'although,' 'since,' or 'which.' While your meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation limit your score.

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

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