Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-06

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 4.0)

Dear Sim,

I hope your'e doing fine. I am writing to intent my feeling about the broken radio which is very close to my heart. Actually, the radio belongs to my grandfather, and he bought it on his edding about 50 years ago. T

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The letter begins appropriately and identifies the broken possession as a radio, adding that it belonged to your grandfather and was bought for his wedding about 50 years ago. These details start to explain its personal importance. However, the response is far too brief to address the task adequately: it does not describe the damage, explain more fully why the radio matters to you, or say what you want Sim to do. The final “T” also leaves the message unfinished. Develop each bullet point explicitly—for example, describe what is broken, explain the memories or family significance attached to it, and make a clear request or suggest how to resolve the damage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The opening follows the requested letter format, and the ideas that are present have a basic sequence: you introduce the reason for writing, identify the radio, and give some background about its history. “Actually” also signals that you are adding an explanation. However, the response ends abruptly after “T,” so there is no complete progression through the three required points or a closing. The short text offers little opportunity to show paragraphing or varied linking, and the relationship between the radio’s history and your feelings is only briefly indicated. Organise the letter into clear stages—damage, personal importance, and requested action—and use simple transitions to guide Sim through them.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use a few relevant expressions to communicate the topic, including “broken radio,” “belongs to my grandfather,” and “close to my heart.” These make the basic subject and emotional connection understandable. However, the vocabulary range is very limited because the response is so short, and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “intent my feeling” does not clearly express your purpose, while “on his edding” appears to be an unsuccessful attempt at “on his wedding.” The unfinished final character also prevents the message from developing. Use precise language for the damage and its significance, such as “the casing is cracked” or “it is a treasured family heirloom,” and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes a basic sentence pattern and a longer sentence joined with “and”: “the radio belongs to my grandfather, and he bought it…” This shows an attempt to connect related information, and the main meaning can be understood. However, the range is narrow, with little evidence of varied or more developed sentence structures. “I am writing to intent my feeling” is not grammatically formed for the intended meaning, and “I hope your'e doing fine” contains an incorrect apostrophe form. The final “T” leaves a sentence incomplete. Practise clear purpose clauses such as “I’m writing to tell you…” and add accurate sentences explaining the damage, its importance, and your request.

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

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