Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-03
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 5.0)
Dear friend,
I hope you are doing well. I received your letter and realized you are thinking to go for camping. You choose the best time for camping. Last year I went Whistler around same time and my experience was exquisite.
Although weather is little on cooler side, with camping fire it will balance well.
I would suggest you few things to make your trip smooth. Firstly make sure you carry mosquito repellents, flashlights, and some small sharp knife.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 79 words long. Consequently, the task is not fully addressed. While the letter attempts to cover the three bullet points—explaining why the friend would enjoy camping, mentioning disadvantages, and expressing interest in joining—the ideas are severely underdeveloped due to the lack of length. The response lacks the necessary detail and expansion required to satisfy the task instructions. To improve, you must elaborate on each point with specific examples and personal anecdotes to reach the required length and provide a more comprehensive response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter is very brief, making it difficult to assess the overall coherence and progression of ideas. There is a basic attempt at paragraphing, but the lack of length prevents the development of a logical flow. Cohesive devices are minimal; for example, the use of 'Although' and 'Firstly' is a good start, but more linking words are needed to connect ideas effectively. The structure is currently too fragmented to demonstrate a higher level of control over paragraphing or cohesive devices.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for a friendly letter, such as 'exquisite' and 'smooth'. However, the range is quite limited due to the brevity of the text. There are some minor errors, such as 'thinking to go for camping' instead of 'thinking about going camping'. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate a wider variety of topic-specific vocabulary related to outdoor activities and camping equipment, and ensure that collocations are used more accurately.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some slightly more complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'I went Whistler' (missing a preposition) and 'weather is little on cooler side' (missing articles). These errors, while not completely impeding communication, are frequent relative to the short length of the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including the correct use of prepositions, articles, and verb patterns.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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