Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-21

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I hope this letter finds you well.

I am Zara Shaikh, I am from France. Yesterday I have seen an advertisement published in the Local Australian newspaper. You need someone who can teach your children French. I was born in France and had been there for twenty years of my life. Furthermore, as a French I am fluent in speaking French. Moreover, teaching is m hobby.

In the advertisement, it is stated to teach two children French for a year. I have moved to Australia two years back and I am looking for a good job, seeing the advertisement give my sign of relief. I have done gardening course also if you want I can look after your garden too. I am happy to help you out with other home chores too.

As you are providing accommodation also. I can stay with you all day helping the children to speak French and help you out in your daily chores. I look forward to receiving a positive response from you,

Thank you in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Zara Shaikh.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining your suitability, offering additional help, and stating your reasons for wanting the job. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter of application. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For example, while you mention you can help with gardening and chores, these points could be expanded to show how they would specifically benefit the family. The opening salutation 'Dear Sir' is slightly generic; since the prompt mentions a 'couple', 'Dear Mr and Mrs [Name]' or 'Dear Sir or Madam' would be more appropriate. Overall, the task is fulfilled, but the depth of information could be improved to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. You use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'Moreover', and 'In addition', though some of these transitions feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from your qualifications to your additional skills and finally your motivation. However, there are some minor issues with referencing and sentence flow, such as the abrupt transition in the second paragraph regarding the gardening course. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall flow of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms such as 'advertisement', 'fluent', 'accommodation', and 'chores'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'seeing the advertisement give my sign of relief' (should be 'gave me a sense of relief') and 'done gardening course' (should be 'completed a gardening course'). To improve, try to use more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'Yesterday I have seen' should be 'Yesterday I saw' (past simple), and 'as a French' should be 'as a French speaker'. There are also punctuation issues, such as the comma splice in 'As you are providing accommodation also. I can stay...' and the missing article before 'hobby'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on verb tenses and article usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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