Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-19
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 or Madam,
I hope you are doing well, I wanted to draw your attention to my documents that I forgot in room number 45 in your hotel apartment. last Monday i checked out after my breakfast at 1100 am. i was in hurry to pack my all stuff because i was late for my appointment for interview. Due to this, I mistakenly left my important papers near drawer, these were my real documents. i would like if you can give me a favour please give this to my friend who lives in 596 room on second floor. so that i can get them safely without any other issues.
thank you!
Nikita
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation of why the papers are important is very brief ('these were my real documents'), lacking the necessary detail to fully satisfy the task requirements. To improve, you should expand on the nature of the documents and provide more context regarding your situation to ensure the letter is sufficiently developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is short and lacks clear paragraphing, which makes the structure feel rushed. While the sequence of events is logical, the use of cohesive devices is very limited. The transition between sentences is often abrupt, such as moving from the location of the papers to the request for the friend to pick them up. Using more linking words and phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'as a result') would help improve the flow and logical progression of your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'give me a favour' and 'my all stuff' are unnatural and indicate a limited range of expression. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'forgot' instead of 'left' and 'near drawer' which lacks an article. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise vocabulary related to travel and business, and focus on correct collocations to sound more professional and natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors, including punctuation issues (e.g., comma splices like 'I hope you are doing well, I wanted...'), missing articles ('in room number 45', 'near drawer'), and inconsistent capitalization ('i' instead of 'I'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. Improving your control over basic sentence construction and punctuation is essential for clarity and accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.