Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-09

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 5.5)

Jane

How are you?I hope you doing well.

Great you're going to a camping this summer. I suggest the camping site in subic its fit for your families and friends,this place is so peacefull you can fully relax here,they have river on the front of the camping site that you can catch fish and when you look around you saw a beautiful mountain.You really enjoy there because its have clean sorrounding and very peacefull place.

But there is a disavantage here because its a province if you want to buy a food or water its very far from the city.

I decided to go with you to go to a camping this summer to have a bonding with each other.I think we were enjoy there because this place is very famous.

Best wishes,

Lemuel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address all three points: you explain that Jane may enjoy the peaceful setting, river and mountain, mention the distance from shops, and say you will go with her. The recommendation is relevant, but the reasons for enjoying the trip are mostly listed rather than developed, and the disadvantage is only briefly explained. The invitation is clear, although “I decided to go with you” could be made more natural and direct. The response also falls 16 words short of the required minimum, so there is limited space to develop your advice. Add practical detail, such as what to bring or how to manage the distance from food and water, while keeping the friendly letter format.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable overall arrangement: greeting and opening, a paragraph about the campsite, a paragraph on a disadvantage, and a closing invitation. This makes the main points easy to locate. However, several ideas in the campsite paragraph run together in a long sequence, with commas doing the work of full stops, and the transition into the disadvantage is abrupt. Some connections are also unclear, as in “I decided to go with you to go to a camping.” Use shorter sentences and link each point more deliberately—for example, explain the setting first, then its activities, before introducing the drawback. Clearer paragraphing and reference to “the campsite” rather than repeatedly “this place” would improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “relax,” “catch fish,” “river,” and “mountain.” These details make the recommendation relevant and understandable. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or repetitive, such as “a camping,” “peacefull,” “disavantage,” and “clean sorrounding.” “Very peaceful” is repeated, while “famous” does not clearly explain why the campsite is appealing. Choose more precise expressions and check spelling: for example, describe the site as “a peaceful campsite with clean surroundings” and say it is “well-known” only if its popularity is relevant. More varied vocabulary for activities and practical drawbacks would make the letter more effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Your meaning is generally recoverable, and you attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, particularly when describing the river and mountain. However, the range is limited and errors occur frequently in basic sentence patterns, verb forms, and articles. Examples include “I hope you doing well” (missing “are”), “you saw a beautiful mountain” (tense does not fit the general description), and “because its have clean surrounding” (incorrect subject–verb structure). The opening also needs punctuation and spacing: “How are you? I hope…” Use mostly clear simple sentences first, then add a few accurate complex sentences with “because” or “although.” Check that each sentence has a subject and correctly formed verb.

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

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