Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to request to you about some important documents which I have forgotten at your hotel.

Actually, I have stayed your hotel last Monday for my business purpose. My room number was 234 on second floor. while I was resting in my room, I received call from my home for emergency situation. So, I have to left room in hurry and accidently, I left some document which are blue file case, in right handed table's drawer.

These paper are one of essential office paperwork. They belongs to a construction project and I need them for my next office meeting.

I would like to request to collect those papers and keep them into a safe place. I will collect them form you soon.

I hope you will understand my situation and consider my request.

Yours faithfully,

Navjot Singh.

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 response is slightly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which impacts the overall task achievement score. While the ideas are relevant, the development is somewhat brief. To improve, you should expand on the description of the documents or the urgency of the situation to ensure the response comfortably exceeds the word count and provides a more comprehensive explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure, moving from the purpose of the letter to the specific details and finally the request. Paragraphing is used, though the paragraphs are quite short. Cohesive devices are present (e.g., 'Actually', 'So', 'Therefore'), but some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. The flow of ideas is generally clear, but the letter would benefit from more sophisticated linking words to connect sentences more fluidly and improve the overall progression of the narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task but remains quite basic. There are some collocation errors, such as 'request to you about' (should be 'request your assistance with') and 'business purpose' (should be 'business purposes'). Phrases like 'blue file case' and 'right handed table's drawer' are understandable but lack natural precision. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and a slightly wider range of vocabulary related to business and formal correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense issues ('I have stayed' instead of 'I stayed'), article usage ('received call' instead of 'received a call'), and subject-verb agreement ('They belongs' instead of 'They belong'). While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors indicate a lack of control over complex structures. You should focus on proofreading for basic errors like verb forms and articles, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures to demonstrate better grammatical range.

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

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