Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-20
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)
Dear Gurdeep,
How are you
I write this letter for my best friend he will go to Shimla in summer vacation. Actually, he is nervous because its first time when he will go. So, i write him some basic things. Firstly, he will bring some foods and beverages because Shimla is 260 km far away from our hometown. Along with this, i will also suggest him to bring warmer clothes because there is temperature low. I think he enjoy a lot because it is very beautiful and he will not only doing adventures activities but also enjoy the beautiful places like mall road and supermarket. However, he will face some health problems like breathings and oxygen because it is 3500km away from earth.
I will also go with him so i can enjoy his accompany and weather. So, we will meet as soon as possible.
Your lovely,
Gagan Batth sidhu
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining why the friend would enjoy camping, describing disadvantages, and confirming your attendance. However, the development of these points is quite limited. For instance, the mention of 'health problems like breathings' is unclear and lacks sufficient detail. The tone is somewhat inconsistent; you refer to your friend in the third person ('he will go') rather than addressing them directly as 'you', which is a requirement for a personal letter. To improve, ensure you maintain a consistent direct address throughout and expand on your ideas with more specific examples or explanations to fully meet the requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is somewhat disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly' and 'However', the transitions between sentences are often mechanical or abrupt. The referencing is also confusing; you switch between talking about your friend and talking about yourself in a way that makes the narrative difficult to follow. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to the intended subjects would significantly enhance the logical progression of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally basic and repetitive. You rely on simple words like 'go', 'enjoy', and 'bring'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as '3500km away from earth' (which is factually incorrect and confusing in context) and 'enjoy his accompany' (which should be 'company'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary, including more precise adjectives and verbs, and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate for a friendly letter.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tense consistency ('he will go', 'he will not only doing'), article usage, and sentence structure. For example, 'its first time when he will go' should be 'it is the first time he has gone'. The sentence 'I write this letter for my best friend' is also awkward given the prompt asks you to write to your friend. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic structures impacts the overall clarity of your message.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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