Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter letter, because I forgot my documents in your hotel room.

I visited boomers hotel this monday, for a conference meeting and I stayed in room number 765. After my checkout in the airport, I realized one of my important file was missing. After that, I remember that I forget it into the hotel room as I was already at airport I had no option left to pick them up.

This file includes significant documents and blueprint for my presentation for upcoming month.

I request you to keep these documents at safe place as I am planning to visit your hotel next week for an another meeting. On that time I will collect those documents. I will be thankful to you.

Kind regards

Rajwinder Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: identifying the location of the papers, explaining their importance, and requesting action from the manager. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of your ideas. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the brevity prevents you from fully expanding on the context or providing a more professional tone. To improve, ensure you elaborate on the details of the documents and provide a more comprehensive explanation of your situation to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the purpose of the letter to the details of the incident and finally the request. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the letter is presented as one block of text. Using clear paragraph breaks between the introduction, the body points, and the closing would significantly improve the structure. Additionally, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited, relying on basic transitions like 'After that' and 'After my checkout'. Incorporating a wider variety of linking words would help the flow of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the range and precision expected at higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'important file' and 'important documents'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'forgot my documents' (should be 'left my documents') and 'in the airport' (should be 'at the airport'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to business travel and lost property, and ensure your word choices are contextually accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains several grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. There are issues with verb tense consistency, such as 'I remember that I forget it' (should be 'I remembered that I had forgotten it'). You also have some punctuation and article errors, such as 'letter letter' and 'in your hotel room' (should be 'at your hotel'). While your meaning is generally clear, the range of sentence structures is limited to simple or compound sentences. Incorporating more complex sentence structures would demonstrate better control and range.

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

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