Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-17

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 to inform you that. I left some vital paper during meeting at a hotel.

I recently attended meeting in your hotel conference room last Monday 26th July. I believe I forgot paper on the table in the meeting room, becauseI had attend on other meeting.

the main reason is that paper are very important for our company because our new project detail is in a paper without paper we cannot start our project.

I would be grateful if you check conference room. If you find it you should send paper on company address. Otherwise tell me how to collect it.

I would be grateful if you could give me a reply as soon as possible thank you for your understanding and cooperation I look forward to your prompt response.

Your Sincerely,

Patel Nabil

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all three bullet points required in the prompt: it states where the papers were likely left, explains their importance, and tells the manager what action to take. Specifically, the student mentions leaving them on a table in the conference room last Monday, highlights their critical role for a new project, and asks the manager to check the room and mail or hold them. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement, containing only 138 words. Because of this length penalty, the task cannot be fully developed, leading to a score of 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into distinct paragraphs addressing different parts of the prompt, giving it a basic logical structure. However, paragraphing and transitions are occasionally choppy or mechanical. For example, phrases like 'the main reason is that paper are very important' create abrupt transitions between ideas. Cohesive devices are minimal, and referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the repetitious use of 'paper' without proper pronoun substitution. Overall organisation is present, but progression lacks fluidity, which fits the Band 5.5 descriptors well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, relying heavily on simple words and phrases such as 'important', 'meeting', and 'paper'. There are notable word choice and phrasing errors, such as 'vital paper' (instead of 'papers') and 'attend on other meeting' (instead of 'attend another meeting'). While the message remains understandable, the lack of a varied lexical range and frequent minor inaccuracies prevent the response from achieving a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in punctuation, capitalization, and articles, such as missing articles ('left some vital paper', 'send paper on company address') and punctuation slips like run-on clauses ('...as soon as possible thank you for your understanding...'). Furthermore, basic subject-verb agreement and pluralization issues are present. These frequent errors restrict the grammar score to a 5.0.

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.