Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-05

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to inform you regarding some important papers which I left in your hotel, and I realized this after reaching my home. I stayed at your hotel from 31 July, 2026 to 3 August, 2026, while attending a conference for my company.

During my stay there, I have locked all my documents in my room's locker, and carried only the required papers during the conference. I ensured that everything was taken when I vacated my room, nonetheless, I missed two set of papers in the second compartment of the locker.

It is a highly confidential document signed by my client, and for that reason, I had to lock it in that compartment. I am currently in a position where I am not able to move forward with their contract due to the missing paper.

Therefore, I request you to kindly open the safe and arrange a courier service to send it to my office at your earliest convenience. Also, I assure you that I will meet all the expenses for the shipment.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best Regards

Gokul

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identified the location of the papers (the second compartment of the locker), explained their importance (confidential client documents required for a contract), and provided a clear request for action (opening the safe and arranging a courier). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a hotel manager. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is immediately clear to the reader. You have fulfilled all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the introduction of the issue to the explanation and finally the call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'nonetheless', 'therefore', and 'for that reason' are used effectively to link sentences. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the flow of information is smooth throughout the text. There is a clear sense of structure that guides the reader through the narrative without any confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal business context. Phrases like 'highly confidential', 'at your earliest convenience', and 'vacated my room' are used accurately. There are minor issues with collocation, such as 'missed two set of papers' (should be 'left two sets of papers') and 'I have locked' (should be 'I had locked' to maintain tense consistency). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the overall lexical range is sufficient to convey your message with precision and professional tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the majority of the text is clear, there are some tense inconsistencies. For example, 'I have locked' should be 'I had locked' because the action occurred in the past. Additionally, 'missed two set of papers' contains a pluralization error. Despite these occasional slips, the grammar is generally accurate, and the complex structures used, such as 'I am currently in a position where I am not able to...', are handled well. The punctuation is correct throughout the letter.

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

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