Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I believe I left my important papers in my hotel room during my stay at your hotel last week. I was on a vacation.

Let me explain my situation, I forgot my important company-related documents in the drawer of the bedside table in Room 404. I stayed at your hotel from July 14 to July 20th, and I clearly remember placing the documents there before packing my luggage.

They are confidential, I might face serious problems at work and may even lose my job if I cannot find the documents. Therefore, I am very anxious to recover them as soon as possible.

I would be grateful if you check the room and contact the housekeeping department,If they had found the documents. if you locate them, could you please call me on this number [redacted phone], I will arrange the courier service. I would be extremely grateful for your assistance.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Anuj

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified the location of the papers (Room 404, bedside drawer), explained the importance of the documents (confidentiality and potential job loss), and provided clear instructions to the manager regarding the search and courier arrangements. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter, and the purpose is clear from the outset. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively, demonstrating a clear understanding of the communicative goal.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use appropriate paragraphing and basic cohesive devices such as 'Therefore' and 'if you locate them'. However, there are some minor issues with punctuation, specifically comma splices, such as 'They are confidential, I might face...' and '...housekeeping department,If they had found...'. These errors slightly disrupt the flow of the text. Improving the use of linking words and punctuation would elevate the coherence further.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. You use relevant terms such as 'confidential', 'housekeeping department', and 'courier service'. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it is somewhat standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or precise phrasing to express your urgency and professional context. For example, instead of 'I am very anxious to recover them', you could use 'I am extremely concerned about the recovery of these documents'. The spelling is accurate throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, particularly regarding punctuation and sentence boundaries. The use of comma splices (joining two independent clauses with only a comma) is a recurring issue, such as in 'They are confidential, I might face...' and '...department,If they had found...'. Additionally, the phrase 'If they had found' is slightly awkward in this context; 'If they are found' or 'If they have been found' would be more grammatically appropriate. Despite these errors, your control of basic grammar is good, and the errors do not impede communication.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.