Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-04

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 Mr/Mrs,

I hope both of you are doing well. I have seen your advertisement last Monday. At that time I decided to write you as soon as possible. I think that i am suitable for that job because i have five year experience as a Sinhala language teacher at a school. I have completed my BSC degree programme in sinhala language. I think it is easy to deal with students because of my experience.

I think i can teach to your two children clearly if they wish to learn. I can teach them via zoom meeting because i unable to travel to Australia for a year. If you choose me, we can arrange class days and times. Usually i use both theory and practical classes when teaching.

Although now i have a job, I hope to do extra classes in my free time. I have to earn extra money because of a private matter. Also I love teaching in my mother language.

If you prefer me please send a reply soon. i am waiting for your positive feedback.

Thanking you.

yours sincerely,

Nish.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you describe your teaching background and degree, offer online lessons, and explain that you want extra income and enjoy teaching Sinhala. These details make your application relevant. However, the response does not fully resolve an important practical issue: the advertisement is for someone to teach the children for a year, while you say you cannot travel and propose Zoom lessons. Explain this limitation tactfully and make clear whether you are applying for a remote arrangement. The offer to help the family beyond teaching is also missing; for example, you could mention assisting with homework or introducing the children to Sinhala culture. Developing these points would make the letter more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you introduce your interest, give your qualifications, describe how you would teach, and explain your motivation before closing. Paragraph breaks help separate these topics, and phrases such as “because of my experience” and “Also” show basic links between ideas. However, the progression is sometimes abrupt: the move from your teaching methods to your current job and financial reason is not clearly signposted. Some connections are also repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “I think.” Grouping your qualifications and teaching approach together, then giving a separate paragraph on what else you can offer and why you want the role, would create a clearer overall progression. A more appropriate, complete closing would also help the letter feel finished.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “advertisement,” “experience,” “language teacher,” “theory and practical classes,” and “extra classes.” This gives the reader a clear sense of your background and intentions. However, the range is limited and some expressions are not natural or precise in this context, such as “deal with students,” “teach to your two children,” and “positive feedback.” Repeated wording such as “I think” also reduces variety. Aim for more specific language about teaching and family support, and check common word partnerships. For instance, you could describe your experience as teaching Sinhala to schoolchildren and say that you can tailor lessons to the children’s needs. These changes would make the application sound more fluent and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate using mostly straightforward sentences and attempt some longer structures, such as “I think that i am suitable for that job because…” and “Although now i have a job, I hope to do extra classes in my free time.” The main ideas remain understandable, but errors occur across verb forms, articles, prepositions, and sentence construction. For example, “I have seen your advertisement last Monday” combines the present perfect with a finished past time; “I unable to travel” is missing a verb; and “I have five year experience” has an incorrect noun form and article pattern. Capitalisation of “i” is also inconsistent. Practise accurate past-time forms and complete sentence patterns, then proofread for these recurring errors.

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

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