Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-20

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing concerning some important documents which I forgot in your hotel room during my stay. I stayed in your hotel for 2 days and I was in the city for some professional meetings. I came late at night and checked out early in the morning because I had a flight at 6am. Between all the hassle, I forgot some of the files on the table, which is beside the TV.

These documents are very essential for me, as I have all my financial data, essential notes, and requirements of the clients written in them. If I do not get those files back, my whole trip will be a waste of time and our company might lose a contract as well.This could also effect my job and future career progression.

I request you to ask the housekeeping staff about the files. If you find those documents, please courier them to me via express shipping. I will pay the charges for the courier service.

Thank you for considering my request. I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

James Bond

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified the location of the papers (the table beside the TV), explained their importance (financial data and client requirements), and provided a clear request for action (contacting housekeeping and courier delivery). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a hotel manager. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific detail regarding the appearance of the files to assist the staff in locating them more efficiently.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the situation to the importance of the items and finally the requested action. You have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Between all the hassle' and 'If you find those documents', which help the reader follow your narrative. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The transition between the importance of the documents and the potential consequences for your career is smooth and logical. The overall structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal business-related letter. Phrases like 'professional meetings', 'financial data', and 'career progression' are used accurately. There is one minor error in word choice: you used 'effect' (a noun) instead of 'affect' (a verb) in the sentence 'This could also effect my job'. Despite this, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message with precision. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There is a minor error in the first paragraph: 'forgot in your hotel room' should ideally be 'left in your hotel room', as 'forget' usually takes a direct object of the thing forgotten, not the location. Additionally, there is a missing space after the period in the second paragraph ('contract as well.This could'). Despite these minor slips, your control over grammar is strong, and the meaning is never obscured. The punctuation is generally handled well throughout the letter.

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

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