Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-25

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 or madam,

Im writting this letter because i forgot my important documents in your hotel.

I stayed at your hotel for the two nights. My documents was in the blue folder on the table near the bed.

papers are very important for my for my college and other work and that was the original one and i do not have any photocopy of those papers. im worried about loosing them.

can you ask your staff to check my room. If you find my documents pleas contact me through email or phone number. I would be very grateful if you send my papers at my home.

Thank you for your help.

your faithfully,

Amanjot kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You cover the three requested points: you identify the blue folder on the table near the bed, explain that the papers are needed for college and work and are originals, and ask staff to search and contact you or send them home. However, the explanation and requests are brief and under-developed, and the letter is 34 words below the required minimum. Add useful details, such as when you stayed, how the papers can be identified, and your contact information or preferred delivery arrangements. The purpose is clear, but the limited development means the task is only partially fulfilled.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information follows a sensible order: you explain why you are writing, describe where the papers may be, state their importance, and make a request. This gives the letter a coherent overall arrangement, and the short sentences are generally easy to follow. To make the progression clearer and more polished, separate the location, importance, and requested action into distinct paragraphs, and use linking phrases such as “As these are the original documents…” to show how the reason leads to your request. The closing is present, but a more consistent formal-letter layout would strengthen the organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main message, with relevant terms such as “blue folder,” “original,” “photocopy,” and “grateful.” However, the range is limited and some choices or forms are inaccurate, including “forgot my important documents in your hotel” and “loosing them.” More precise, natural expressions would make the letter clearer and more formal. For example, say that you “left” the documents at the hotel, that they are “original copies,” and that you are “concerned about losing them.” Check spelling and avoid repeating “papers” and “documents” without adding identifying detail.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate through mostly simple sentence patterns, and the reader can generally understand the message. There are some errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries: “My documents was” should be “My documents were,” while “I stayed at your hotel for the two nights” needs a more natural article or phrasing. The sentence beginning “papers are very important” also needs a capital letter and a clearer structure. You attempt a longer conditional request with “If you find my documents…,” which is useful, but punctuation and sentence control need attention. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then combine ideas using clauses such as “because” and “if.”

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.