Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-09

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 ,

Hi Sir, i hope that you are doing well , iam writing this letter to you to let you know that i lost my paper at the hotel and to request you to search after them.

So i said at the begging that i’ve lost my papers at the hotel and iam requesting you if you can searsh them for me i will be more than satisfied , i do not know where they are lost exactly but i will give the places where i think they can be :

They are maybe in my left room its number is 200 at the 4th level

It can also be in the bar where i spent my most of time there

Please help me finding them because they are so important for me , they are my school papers i need them to continue my studies and working later.

I will be more than satisfied you can help me .

Thank you Sir

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the task: the location of the papers, their importance, and the requested action. However, the development of these points is somewhat repetitive and lacks professional tone. For instance, the explanation of why the papers are important is quite brief, and the request for action is stated multiple times in a redundant manner. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the tone is overly informal and lacks the appropriate register for a formal letter to a hotel manager. To improve, ensure each bullet point is developed with more specific detail and maintain a consistent, professional tone throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is organized into a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow. Proper paragraphing is essential for a formal letter to separate the introduction, the body points, and the conclusion. While there is a basic logical progression, the use of cohesive devices is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'So i said' and 'It can also be' are mechanical and do not effectively link ideas. To reach a higher band, you should use clear paragraph breaks and a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in addition') to improve the flow and structure of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which limits the effectiveness of the communication. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'search after them' instead of 'search for them' and 'my left room' instead of 'the room I stayed in'. The word choice is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. To improve, focus on learning common collocations related to travel and business correspondence, and avoid repeating the same phrases, such as 'more than satisfied', which is used twice in the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with subject-verb agreement, capitalization (e.g., 'i' instead of 'I'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are run-on or lack proper punctuation, such as 'Hi Sir, i hope that you are doing well , iam writing...'. The use of 'iam' as a single word is a recurring error. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors impacts the overall quality of the writing. Focusing on basic sentence construction, correct capitalization, and consistent verb tense usage will significantly improve your score.

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

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