Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-19
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,
Today I am writing this letter to inform you that yesterday , I forgot a piece of paper at your hotel , which was very lucrative for me.
Yesterday, I booked a hotel near the city centre for celebrating the birthday party of my sister. As regular, everyone has been enjoying the cold drinks , snacks and some other items. However, I was also more excited at that moment. After sometimes, we have arrived at home on time and suddenly , I focused I dont have my one paper inside the bag that bag was empty then I noticed I have forgotten my imperative paper at hotel.
Moreover, this paper is vital for me because it was my driving license. without the license I can not go outside so I am really very nervous related to this that you will find or not .
Additionaly, I would really appreciate it if you could help me to find this document. Please strictly give order to your staff so they can easily find it . I hope you understand my situation and you will resolve this issue promptly.
Thank you for you assitance,
yours faithfully
Rrr
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The candidate successfully covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. First, the location of the lost papers is stated, noting they were left at the hotel. Second, the importance is explained by identifying the paper as a driving license, which is vital for going outside. Third, the desired action is clearly communicated by asking the manager to instruct the staff to find the document. Although some ideas are expressed simply, such as 'I forgot a piece of paper at your hotel', all parts of the task are addressed adequately. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of request, and the purpose is clear throughout. Therefore, the response fulfills the requirements for Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, separating the introduction, the details of the visit, the explanation of importance, and the concluding request. However, cohesion is occasionally faulty or mechanical. For example, transition markers like 'As regular' and 'After sometimes' are unnatural and misuse cohesive devices. Referencing is also weak in places, such as 'that bag that bag was empty', which creates repetition and confusion. While the progression of ideas is generally understandable, these mechanical transitions and referencing issues prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Overall, the performance aligns with the Band 5.0 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student attempts some less common vocabulary, but word choice and collocation errors are frequent. For instance, describing a driving license as 'lucrative' is incorrect, as lucrative means financially profitable rather than legally important. Similarly, 'imperative paper' and 'strictly give order' demonstrate awkward phrasing and imprecise vocabulary use. There are also spelling errors, such as 'Additionaly' and 'assitance'. While the range is minimally adequate to convey the basic message, the noticeable errors and inappropriate word choices cause some difficulty for the reader, fitting the Band 5.0 descriptor profile.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as conditional and subordinate clauses ('I would really appreciate it if you could help me'). However, control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are several run-on sentences and punctuation errors, such as comma splices ('yesterday , I forgot', 'suddenly , I focused I dont have'). Grammatical errors include tense misuse ('everyone has been enjoying', 'we have arrived') and missing articles ('at hotel', 'without the license'). These frequent errors can cause difficulty for the reader, though they rarely obscure the ultimate meaning completely, making Band 5.0 an accurate representation.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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