Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-28

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 Preet,

I hope you are doing great. I came back from my trip, and I noticed that my favorite and So valuable possession was broken. I saw some pieces on the floor as well. It is quite precious for me because it was gifted by my parents and I always keep it near my heart. I literlly feel bad because you even did not tried to inform me. This possession was very expensive and beautiful.

I would like to request you to buy a new possession for me and return to me as it was before. It was not just a product. So I want you to give me my possession back beacuse i gave you the whole responsibility of my home to take care and keep the things as it was before. However, you did not inform me about this matter.

I would be appreciate if you return my possession back to me.

Thank you.

Komalpreet Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the main situation and include the possession’s sentimental value, explaining that your parents gave it to you and that you keep it close to your heart. You also make a clear request for your friend to replace it. However, the description remains vague: “some pieces on the floor” does not identify what the item was or what damage it suffered. The request is also unclear when you ask for a “new possession” and then say you want the original possession back. Explain whether you expect your friend to repair it, replace it, or pay for it, and give a little more detail about its personal importance. These points would make the letter more fully developed and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: you open with a greeting, describe what you found, state why it matters, make a request, and close politely. Paragraphing helps separate the background from your request. However, the progression is weakened by repetition and unclear links between ideas. You repeat that the possession should be returned and that your friend did not inform you, while “However” does not introduce a clear contrast. The sequence from asking for a new item to asking for “my possession back” is also confusing. Organise the central points in a clearer order—what was broken, why it matters, and the specific action you expect—and use references such as “the vase” rather than repeatedly saying “possession.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary to convey personal value, including “precious,” “gifted,” and “expensive,” and the reader can understand the general complaint. However, the range is limited and several choices are repetitive or imprecise. “Possession” is repeated where the actual object should be named, and “return to me as it was before” does not clearly express whether you mean repair or replacement. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, such as “literlly,” “beacuse,” and “appreciate” in “I would be appreciate.” Choose a precise noun for the broken item and use natural phrases such as “replace it” or “have it repaired” to make your meaning clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, for example, “It is quite precious for me because it was gifted by my parents,” and the main message is generally understandable. However, errors in verb forms and sentence construction occur repeatedly. In “you even did not tried,” the verb should be “did not try”; “I would be appreciate” needs a different structure, such as “I would appreciate it if…”; and “I gave you the whole responsibility … to take care” is not grammatically well formed. Some punctuation and capitalisation are also inconsistent, as in “So valuable” and the lowercase “i.” Review past-tense forms after “did,” conditional request patterns, and sentence boundaries to improve accuracy.

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

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