Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-09

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 this to inform you that I stayed in your hotel this week for three days, from 11th August to 13th August in room 214. When I checked out from the hotel and came to my home, I realised that I forgot a folder containing my documents.

As far as I remember, I had kept the folder in the locker of the room. The folder consists of my work permit, passport, and some other important documents, as I visited there for my US visa appointment. Without these documents I would not be able to go back to my home country, and re-applying for these would be a very lengthy process.

I would like to request you to either keep them with you somewhere safe so that I can come and collect them, or if possible, you could send them via courier to my home address. I am ready to cover the cost for your service and the courier.

Please let me know which option suits you best. Looking forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Darren Keam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified where the papers were left (the locker in room 214), explained their significance (work permit and passport for a visa appointment), and provided clear instructions to the manager regarding their retrieval. 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 maintained a consistent and professional tone throughout the response, which is essential for this task type.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your train of thought easily. You have used appropriate cohesive devices such as 'As far as I remember' and 'Without these documents' to link your ideas. The paragraphing is effective and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The flow is smooth, and there is no confusion regarding the sequence of events or the requests being made.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

Your vocabulary is adequate and appropriate for the context of a formal letter. You use terms like 'checked out', 'visa appointment', and 'cover the cost' correctly. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is somewhat standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise or sophisticated collocations. For example, instead of 'I realised that I forgot', you could use 'I discovered that I had inadvertently left behind'. However, the current range is sufficient to convey your message precisely without any misunderstandings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good command of grammatical structures. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'Without these documents I would not be able to go back to my home country, and re-applying for these would be a very lengthy process.' There are very few errors, and those that exist do not impede communication. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence construction is sound. The use of conditional structures ('if possible, you could send') is handled well and fits the formal tone of the request.

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

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