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,

I am writing for your assistance to find my missing documents. Last day, I attend a very important business meeting a in your resturant at second meeting room 216. I was sitting next to window. I might me forget to collect the bule folder of the documents, when meeting get end. Furthermore, this folder contain some important financial documents which is very important for upcoming project. Therefore, If I misplaced this documents this will create a dely in project as well as I also face some problems such as termination.

If it possible can you please check the meeting room, lost and found department of the hotel. If you able to find the file please keep it at safe place. I will love to collect it by myself as soon as I can. Whereas, I will also ready to pay for postal delivers charge.

I hope for the positive response from you.

Your sincerely,

Sheebu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: the location of the papers, the importance of the documents, and the requested action. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a hotel manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of why the documents are important is brief, and the request for action could be more clearly articulated. While the task is fully addressed, the lack of depth in the explanation prevents it from reaching a higher band. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the reader understands exactly what the writer needs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. There is a clear progression from the situation to the request. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, such as the misuse of 'Whereas' at the beginning of the final sentence in the second paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved with more varied transition words. The paragraphing is sufficient, but the overall structure feels a bit rigid due to the limited range of linking words used.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the necessary information. There are some attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as 'financial documents' and 'termination', but there are also noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'postal delivers charge' instead of 'postal delivery charges' and 'I might me forget' instead of 'I might have forgotten'. The range is sufficient to complete the task, but the errors in word formation and collocation are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The vocabulary is functional but lacks the precision required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include 'Last day, I attend' (tense error), 'this folder contain' (subject-verb agreement), 'If I misplaced this documents' (pluralization error), and 'If it possible' (missing verb). These errors are persistent and occur in almost every sentence. While the meaning is generally clear despite these mistakes, the frequency of errors in basic grammar limits the score. The writer needs to focus on subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, and the correct use of articles to improve accuracy.

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

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