Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-12

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 5.0)

Dear Sir / Madam,

you are in good health and high spirits. I am writing this letter let you know that I am stay in your hotel and I think left the my important papers in your hotel rooms. I stay room no 205 in August 5 and August 6 . I think left bed write side drawer or almary locker . there is company papers in all employes and next week my appointment paper . you are check in room blue colour file front on my name balraj singh . then tell the manager you want him to do important file . you come my hotel and check you file.

I check my file all papers are available in this file. I gave repected hotel manager to want my file and thanks you.

yours faithfully,

Balraj Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: location of the papers, their importance, and the requested action. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. The explanation of why the papers are important is vague ('company papers in all employes'), and the instructions to the manager are confusingly phrased, making the request difficult to follow. To improve, you should expand on the content of the documents and provide clearer, more polite instructions to the hotel staff. Because the response is under-length and the ideas are not fully developed, it falls into the lower band range.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks a clear structure. There is no logical progression between sentences, and the paragraphing is non-existent. The use of cohesive devices is almost entirely absent, making the text feel like a series of disconnected, fragmented thoughts. For example, the transition between describing the location of the papers and the request for the manager is abrupt and confusing. To improve, you must use linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'therefore') and organize your thoughts into distinct paragraphs: one for the situation, one for the importance, and one for the request.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. There are significant issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'almary locker' (likely meaning 'wardrobe' or 'cupboard') and 'appointment paper'. The phrasing is often unnatural, which hinders the reader's ability to understand the context quickly. You rely on basic, functional language that is insufficient for a formal letter. To reach a higher band, you should focus on learning specific vocabulary related to hotel stays and business correspondence, and practice using more precise nouns and adjectives to describe your situation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The grammar is highly problematic throughout the letter. There are frequent errors in verb tense ('I am stay', 'I think left'), sentence structure, and word order. Many sentences are incomplete or lack necessary articles and prepositions, which makes the meaning unclear. There is no evidence of complex sentence structures, and the basic sentences are often grammatically incorrect. To improve, you need to focus on basic sentence construction, specifically subject-verb agreement and the correct use of past tenses when describing an event that has already occurred.

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

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