Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-04

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,

My name is John. I am a residence of 14-A, Park Street, Richmond. I am writing this letter to inform you about the confidential papers that I left in a room in your hotel, Where I used to stay for one day on dated 26-06-2026.

My papers are kept in safer locker in cupboard. Also some papers are on the table also. There are total number of 10 papers I left in room.

These papers are very confidential because It consists of balanced sheet, frame works, profit and loss statement of my business work. As I need to submit these paper to my prospective business partners and Banking institutions for their reference. I need these papers as soon as possible.

At present, I want you to search my papers of room no-123, where I used to stay. Also see that all the 10 papers are in good condition. After that, notify me as soon as possible, when the papers are found.

Its my humble request to you.

I hope you understand my situation.

I am waiting for your positive response as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,

John

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the location of the papers, their importance, and the requested action. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, while you mention the papers are confidential, the explanation of why they are important could be more professional and detailed. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though some phrasing, such as 'Where I used to stay for one day', is slightly unnatural. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader would understand exactly what is required.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the frequent use of 'Also' and 'As' at the beginning of sentences limits the flow. The transition between the description of the papers and the request for action is functional but could be smoother. Paragraphing is used, but the sentences within the paragraphs sometimes feel like a list of points rather than a cohesive narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'confidential', 'prospective', and 'institutions'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'residence of' instead of 'resident at' and 'balanced sheet' instead of 'balance sheet'. Some phrasing is also repetitive, such as the repeated use of 'papers' and 'as soon as possible'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'on dated 26-06-2026' (incorrect preposition and phrasing), 'in safer locker' (missing article), and 'It consists of' (subject-verb agreement error, as 'papers' is plural). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are issues with capitalization and sentence fragments. While the meaning is clear, the frequency of these minor errors indicates a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction.

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

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