Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-06
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
A friend of yours is thinking of going on a camping holiday for the first time this summer. He/She has asked for your advice. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
- explain why you think your friend would enjoy a camping holiday
- describe some possible disadvantages
- say whether you would like to go camping with your friend this summer
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ................. ,
Student answer (Band 4.5)
Dear Sam,
I hope you are doing well. I just got your letter and I'm glad to advise you about the camping holiday that you are planning to go for your summer vacation.
First of all, I'm very happy to hear that you are planning to celebrate your holidays with your friends. Since I know you from your childhood, I know your strengths and weaknesses.In addition to this, you are an extrovert and your parents didn't provide a freedom for you to celebrate some good memories with your friends.
From my knowledge I know that you have a careless behaviour and you always interfere in others problems. I request you to avoid this character and be rely on your nature. Secondly, please carry a tent with you because your camping holiday is located on a hilly area. Apart from this, always carry a cellphone in your pocket.
Next year, I would like to travel on the northern side of India. I like to go for a camping on that year. It's my childhood dream to travel with my best friend for making some good memories. If you are free on the winter days, please inform me through Email.
I look forward to hearing from you. I love you and please make a positive reply for this letter.
Best regards,
Sree
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5
The letter has an appropriate greeting and closing, and it does express interest in travelling with Sam. However, it only partially fulfils the main purpose: the reasons Sam might enjoy camping are not clearly explained, and the comments about being an extrovert and having limited freedom from parents do not show how camping itself would appeal. The disadvantages are also missing; advice to take a tent and cellphone is practical preparation, not a description of possible drawbacks. Your plan to camp in northern India is for next year, so it does not answer whether you would go with Sam this summer. Address each bullet directly and give a clear, relevant reason or example for each point.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
The response is divided into paragraphs and uses basic signposts such as “First of all,” “In addition to this,” and “Secondly,” which gives it some visible organisation. However, the ideas do not progress consistently: the discussion shifts from Sam’s personality and parents to criticism of his behaviour, then to equipment, and finally to a trip next year. Some links are unclear, particularly how the comments about “interfere in others problems” relate to camping advice. The final paragraph also moves from a future plan to a request about winter without connecting this to the summer invitation. Organise the letter around the three requested points and use transitions that show how each idea relates to the previous one.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use a basic range of vocabulary relevant to a personal letter, including “camping holiday,” “tent,” “cellphone,” and “childhood dream.” There are also attempts at more expressive phrasing, such as “celebrate some good memories,” though this is not a natural collocation. Several word choices make the intended meaning less clear or sound inappropriate for friendly advice, including “careless behaviour,” “interfere in others problems,” and “be rely on your nature.” Aim for precise, natural phrases that fit the topic and tone: for example, describe camping as a chance to “enjoy the outdoors” or mention drawbacks such as “uncomfortable weather” and “limited facilities.” This would make your ideas clearer and more convincing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The letter includes both simple sentences and attempts at longer structures, for example, “Since I know you from your childhood, I know your strengths and weaknesses.” Most of the message remains understandable, but errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms are noticeable. Examples include “your parents didn't provide a freedom,” “I request you to avoid this character,” and “If you are free on the winter days,” where articles, verb patterns, or prepositions need adjustment. There are also punctuation and spacing issues, such as the missing space after “weaknesses.” Work on accurate sentence patterns and review articles and prepositions; for instance, “your parents didn’t give you the freedom” and “if you are free during the winter.”
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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