Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-08

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 am reaching out you to express my interest in your job advertised in the newspaper. By the job description I came to know that you are looking for someone who can teach your children. I believe I have enthusiasm and skill required for this job. I have an excellent experience in this field, and I am teaching overseas since last ten years.

In addition, I am very dedicated and I can teach the student as well as they need and can fully prepare them for every kind of exams. All my students have become expert in language. Although, they were at rudimentary stages before they started to learn by me.

I hope you will consider my proposal to teach your kids. Furthermore, I must mention that I am preparing for my PhD in my subject. Therefore, It will assist in my studies financially and academically.

I hope to listen from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Sobia.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: suitability, additional help, and reasons for applying. However, the development is somewhat thin. While you mention your experience and PhD studies, the section on 'what else you could do for the family' is vague, stating only that you can 'teach the student as well as they need.' To improve, you should provide concrete examples of additional help, such as assisting with household chores, organizing cultural activities, or helping with other subjects. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the opening 'Dear Sir' is generic; since the prompt mentions a 'couple,' 'Dear Mr. and Mrs. [Name]' or 'Dear Sir/Madam' would be more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, and the progression of ideas is clear. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'Although,' and 'Furthermore.' However, the use of 'Although' is grammatically incorrect in its current position, as it is used as a conjunction to start a sentence without a main clause following it. Additionally, the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is a bit mechanical. To reach a higher band, ensure that cohesive devices are used to link ideas more fluidly rather than just acting as sentence starters.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'reaching out you' (should be 'reaching out to you') and 'expert in language' are slightly unnatural. You rely on basic descriptors like 'excellent experience' and 'very dedicated.' To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations related to teaching, such as 'pedagogical expertise,' 'tailored lesson plans,' or 'academic enrichment.' There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'every kind of exams' instead of 'all types of examinations.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'I am teaching overseas since last ten years' should be 'I have been teaching overseas for the last ten years.' The phrase 'I am reaching out you' is missing a preposition. You also have issues with article usage and pluralization, such as 'every kind of exams.' While you attempt some complex structures, the accuracy is inconsistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of present perfect continuous for duration will significantly improve your score.

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

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