Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-16

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 your well! I am writing this letter to ask you about something. So the last weekend i stayed at your hotel. In that period i find the experience is very pleasant and it was very comforted.

However there are some document i have forgotten to take the my insurance paper from the locker from my room and i have to tell you that it is very important document. To begin with in upcoming my job interview they specifically asked for that documents if its not presented on interview i might lose the job. So there are few things i want you to do for me that can you check that documents that are have in that locker or what and if you find it there i want you to mail that document to me immediately anyhow and i will pay the charges so please make sure you do that by today.

Thank you in advanced

Kind regards.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the location of the papers, their importance, and the requested action. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. The explanation of why the papers are important is clear, but the tone is slightly demanding rather than professional. The request for the manager to check the locker and mail the documents is clear, but the phrasing 'anyhow' and 'make sure you do that by today' is overly informal and lacks the appropriate register for a formal letter to a hotel manager. To improve, ensure the tone remains polite and professional throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the message. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, 'To begin with' is used, but the transition between the introduction and the body is abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'that documents that are have in that locker or what', which makes the flow of information choppy. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would significantly enhance the coherence of the writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'it was very comforted' instead of 'comfortable' and 'that documents that are have in that locker'. The use of 'anyhow' is inappropriate for a formal request. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is narrow, and there are errors in word choice that occasionally distract the reader. Expanding your range of formal expressions and focusing on correct collocations would help improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'I hope your well' (should be 'you're'), 'the last weekend i stayed' (should be 'last weekend'), and 'if its not presented on interview' (should be 'at the interview'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction, punctuation, and proofreading for common errors like 'your/you're' will lead to better accuracy.

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

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