Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-31
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 Paramjit,
I hope you are doing well. Yesterday i received your letter about going on a camping holiday. In my opinion, i think it is amazing way for spending holidays.
because now its summer and humidity also. So i want you to tell you that you should go to Himachal. because when we were in college you didnt even going on that time also. so right now you should go.
because it helps to relax your mind, peace, positive vibes, its your first time you can explore so many adventures there. for instance, camping, trekking, temples, wonderful rivers and mountains.
it helps you to interaction with other people.
here is an amazing thing you must do is eat maggi because mountains maggi is special. if you accepting my order can i go with you ?
In addition, i believe its a great opportunity for both of us. we share thoughts, talking, laughter with each other. I am very happy right now and excited also. I am very thankful to you.
Yours lovingly,
Emily.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have addressed all three bullet points: explaining why your friend would enjoy camping, describing disadvantages, and expressing interest in joining. However, the response is somewhat underdeveloped. While you mention the benefits of camping, you fail to describe any disadvantages, which is a key requirement of the prompt. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, but the lack of detail regarding the negative aspects of camping prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you dedicate a full paragraph to each bullet point in the instructions to ensure all parts of the task are fully developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into short paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is often disjointed. You rely heavily on repetitive sentence starters like 'because' and 'it helps'. There is a lack of varied cohesive devices to link your ideas logically. For example, the transition between discussing the benefits of camping and the suggestion to eat 'maggi' is abrupt and lacks a logical connector. To improve, use a wider range of linking words such as 'furthermore', 'on the other hand', or 'consequently' to guide the reader through your arguments more smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is functional but basic and repetitive. You use simple phrases like 'amazing way' and 'very happy'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'if you accepting my order', which is not natural English. While your meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and you struggle to use more precise or descriptive language to convey your thoughts. To improve, try to incorporate more varied adjectives and topic-specific vocabulary related to travel and outdoor activities, such as 'scenic', 'challenging', or 'unpredictable weather'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with verb tenses and sentence structure. For instance, 'you didnt even going' is incorrect; it should be 'you didn't even go'. You also have issues with capitalization, such as 'i' instead of 'I', and sentence fragments like 'because now its summer'. The range of structures is limited to simple sentences, and the errors in basic grammar occasionally distract the reader. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and a correctly conjugated verb.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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