Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am writing this email to inform you that yesterday I forgot my important papers at your restaurant. Firstly, those papers are my academic certificates, which are my credentials. I am not sure where I left my document folder, but I remember that time me and my brother sat around the pool area.
Furthermore, as I already mentioned above, those are my academic documents, and I have an interview on Saturday.
Moreover, I want to request to you, if possible please find
Best regards,
Alex
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is significantly under-length at only 88 words. Furthermore, the letter is incomplete; it ends abruptly mid-sentence ('please find') and fails to provide a proper closing or a clear call to action regarding the retrieval of the documents. While the prompt requirements (where they were left, why they are important, and what to do) are introduced, they are not fully developed due to the unfinished nature of the text. This severely limits the ability to achieve a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter attempts to use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover'. However, because the text is incomplete and ends mid-sentence, the overall logical progression is disrupted. Paragraphing is present, but the lack of a conclusion or a coherent ending makes the structure feel fragmented. The ideas are simple and follow a basic sequence, but the failure to complete the task prevents the development of a cohesive whole.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is functional but very limited. Phrases like 'forgot my important papers' and 'academic certificates' are appropriate for the context, but there is no attempt to use a wider range of vocabulary or more sophisticated collocations. The language is repetitive, and the abrupt ending prevents the use of any formal closing language or more complex expressions that would be expected in a professional letter to a hotel manager.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The grammar is generally understandable, but there are noticeable errors. For example, 'me and my brother sat' should be 'my brother and I sat'. The sentence structure is simplistic, relying on basic subject-verb-object patterns. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the unfinished nature of the final sentence makes it impossible to assess the student's ability to construct more advanced grammatical forms. Punctuation is mostly correct, but the overall range is very restricted.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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