Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-03

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter

• say where you think you left the papers
• explain why they are so important
• tell the manager what you want him/her to do

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear sir ,

I am writing this letter to inform you I forgot my important paper in your hotel.

Last day, I visited your hotel with my friends to celebrate my birthday . We booked a table of 10 individuals in far corner . I put my office bag under the table where we sat .I think my bag's zip was opened and my my file fell down there.

This paper is very important because it is my office file that I have to present tomorrow . I made this file in 10 days so I can not rewrite it because of short time .

I request to you can you please inform me if you get this paper and from where I can get this paper so I will come tomorrow morning to get my paper back .I really apericiate your help

looking forwards from you .

your Sincerely,

Charnjeet kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: the location of the papers, their importance, and the requested action. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of why the papers are important is brief, and the description of the location could be more precise to assist the staff. While the task is fully addressed, the level of detail is basic, which prevents it from reaching a higher band. The letter is functional and clear, meeting the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the purpose of the letter to the details of the incident and finally the request. Paragraphing is present, though the structure is somewhat fragmented. Cohesive devices are used, but they are quite basic (e.g., 'Last day', 'This paper', 'I request'). There is a lack of variety in linking words, and some transitions feel mechanical. While the message is easy to follow, the flow between sentences could be improved with more sophisticated cohesive markers to better connect the ideas within the paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. There are several instances of repetitive phrasing, such as 'important paper' and 'get this paper'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'I forgot my important paper' (should be 'left') and 'zip was opened' (should be 'unzipped'). Spelling errors like 'apericiate' and 'forwards' (instead of 'forward') are present. To improve, the student should focus on using more varied synonyms and ensuring correct collocations for formal correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'I forgot my important paper' (missing article), 'Last day' (incorrect time reference), and 'I request to you can you please' (awkward, ungrammatical phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas and periods. The lack of complex sentence structures limits the grammatical range score. To reach a higher band, the student needs to work on sentence variety, correct verb tenses, and more accurate punctuation.

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

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