Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-20

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have seen an advertisement from a couple, who live in Australia, for someone to teach their two children your language for a year. Write a letter to the couple. In your letter

• explain why you think you would be suitable for the job
• say what else you could do for the family
• give your reasons for wanting the job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear .................. ,

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Dear Mr. and Mrs. smith,

I am writing on reference of your advertisement to teach your children Arabic language for a year.

I think I am suitable for this job because I am an Arabic teacher now, and I did a course in Australian language recently, so we can understand each other well. Also I planned to travel to Australia after two years when I finish my contract with my school.

I can teach you the Arabic food too, I am a excellent cooker, I practice cooking with my mother since I was a child so you can taste our traditional foods.

I need this job to save money for my travel, in addition I can get some information about Australia that will help me lots.

I am looking forward to hear from you.

Yours faithfully,

Manal Malakani

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: suitability, additional help, and reasons for applying. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The points are covered in a very brief, superficial manner. For example, the explanation of why you are suitable is limited to a single sentence about your current job. To improve, you should expand on your teaching methodology or experience with children to provide a more comprehensive response. Because the length requirement was not met, the task is not fully developed, leading to a lower score in this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used to separate the different requirements of the task, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic and repetitive (e.g., 'Also', 'in addition'). The flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly, such as 'Furthermore', 'consequently', or 'not only... but also'.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. You use some basic errors in word choice, such as 'on reference of' instead of 'with reference to' and 'excellent cooker' instead of 'excellent cook'. The phrase 'Australian language' is also inaccurate, as the language spoken in Australia is English. While your meaning is generally clear, the limited range of vocabulary prevents a higher score. You should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding literal translations from your native language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'I did a course' (should be 'I have completed a course'), 'I planned to travel' (should be 'I am planning'), and 'I am looking forward to hear' (should be 'looking forward to hearing'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the errors in verb tense and preposition usage are noticeable. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage, as these errors occur throughout the text.

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

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