Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-26

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 would like to inform you that I forget my papers in your hotel.

First of all, I would like to inform you that I think I kept the papers in the drawer which was besides the bed because I kept all the things in that drawer but didn’t check it when I checked out from the hotel.

In addition, this papers is very important because that files includes my resume as well as my degree and this things is one of the most important things of my career.

Finally, I would appreciate if you could parcel that documents to my address because I tried to come for picking that documents but didn’t get off from my office . I hope that you could parcel to my house.

Thank for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Your Faithfully

Nikhil Birla

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: the location of the papers, their importance, and the request for action. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which impacts the overall task completion. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat under-developed; for instance, the explanation of why the papers are important could be more detailed to fully satisfy the prompt. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the opening and closing salutations show some inconsistency (e.g., 'Dear Sir' vs 'Your Faithfully').

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'I would like to inform you' and 'I hope that'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'this things is one of the most important things', where the pronoun usage is imprecise. The flow between sentences is functional but lacks the sophisticated transitions expected at higher bands.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'forget' instead of 'forgot' and 'parcel that documents' instead of 'send or courier those documents'. The repetition of the word 'things' throughout the text limits the range of expression. To improve, you should focus on using more precise nouns and verbs related to business and travel contexts, and ensure that pluralization (e.g., 'this papers') is handled correctly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement and pluralization, such as 'this papers is' and 'this things is'. The sentence structures are mostly simple or compound, with limited attempts at complex structures. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are errors in the closing salutation ('Your Faithfully' should be 'Yours faithfully'). These errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader, though they do not completely impede communication.

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

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