Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-15

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 6.0)

Hello Abraham,

I hope you are doing well. This letter is regarding an urgent document which I had left in your office yesterday.

I had left a paper on your table last night, during my evening shift. I wanted to hand it over to you personally, however I have a day off today therefore I could not expect to meet you before next week.

This document is regarding a shift exchange with other coworker. I have an urgent appointment with the dentist on August 25th. Therefore, Dripty William will work on my place on that day. I will work on 29th Aug instead.

Kindly, submit this paper to the staffing team at your earliest convenience so that they can make necessary change in our schedule. I would be very grateful to you.

Regards,

Iqbal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the location of the papers, their importance, and the requested action. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. The tone is somewhat inconsistent; you began with 'Dear Sir or Madam' as instructed, but then addressed the manager as 'Abraham', which is inappropriate for a formal letter. To improve, ensure you expand on the details—for example, describing the specific nature of the papers or the consequences of them being lost—to meet the length requirement and provide a more thorough response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the situation to the request. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic. Phrases like 'This letter is regarding' and 'Therefore' are used, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is adequate, but the overall structure feels a bit disjointed due to the brevity of the content. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between the explanation of the papers and the request for action is more fluid.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be understood clearly. You use some relevant terms such as 'urgent document', 'staffing team', and 'at your earliest convenience'. However, the range is limited, and there are some awkward collocations, such as 'work on my place' instead of 'work in my place' or 'take my place'. There is little evidence of less common or more sophisticated vocabulary. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and a slightly wider range of professional, formal vocabulary suitable for a business context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'I had left a paper' should be 'I left a paper' (simple past is more appropriate here), and 'make necessary change' should be 'make the necessary changes'. Additionally, 'on 29th Aug' requires a preposition like 'the' or 'on the 29th of August'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.

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

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