Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-05

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 Simon,

I hope you are doing well! I have come to know that, you are going to a camping during the summer for the first time in your life.

From my point of view, you will enjoy a lot because camping includes a lot af adventures,and i have remembered that you are keen on adventures.

Although, you would possibly be face some cons of this camping, extreme sun_heat could damage your skin.you already have been suffering from skin allergy since your childhood, so during camping due to hot weather you may suffer from poor health.

I also want to tell you that i am also going to camping with my friend, we have not discuss the schedule but i will inform you before leaving , because qe also have to caught up .If you wish both of us could also go for camping during this summer .

If you need my help you can contact me again.

Warm wishes,

John

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your response addresses all parts of the prompt, but the development of ideas is limited. You successfully explain why your friend would enjoy camping by mentioning adventures, and you describe a disadvantage regarding the sun and skin allergies. You also touch upon whether you would like to go camping together. However, some parts are underdeveloped and lack clarity. For instance, your explanation of the disadvantages focuses heavily on a specific medical condition rather than general camping drawbacks, and your proposal to join the trip is somewhat confusingly integrated with a mention of another friend. To move higher, you need to extend and fully support all your ideas with clearer, more relevant supporting details for each bullet point.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic organization to your letter, and you attempt to move through the required points. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the flow is hindered by mechanical or inaccurate use of cohesive devices. For example, transition phrases and conjunctions like 'Although, you would possibly be face some cons' and commas are misused, leading to choppy and difficult-to-follow sentences. Paragraphing is present, but within the paragraphs, sentences lack smooth logical links. To improve, you should focus on using cohesive devices more accurately and naturally to guide the reader seamlessly from one idea to the next, while ensuring your referencing and pronoun usage remain clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a limited range of vocabulary that is minimally adequate for the task, but noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word form cause some difficulty for the reader. Phrases such as 'come to know', 'camping includes a lot af adventures', and 'extreme sun_heat' contain inappropriate prepositions, misspellings, or awkward phrasing. Furthermore, lexical repetitions such as 'adventures' and 'camping' appear frequently. To reach a higher level, you must demonstrate a broader range of vocabulary, use less common lexical items with greater precision, and eliminate basic spelling and word formation errors to ensure your meaning is conveyed effortlessly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Your grammar displays a very limited range of structures, and your attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty. There are numerous errors in verb forms, tenses, agreement, and punctuation throughout the letter, such as 'you are going to a camping during the summer', 'you would possibly be face', and run-on sentences joined improperly with commas like '...adventures,and i have remembered...'. These frequent errors can cause difficulty and distraction for the reader. To improve your grammar score, you need to use a wider mix of error-free simple and complex structures, paying closer attention to auxiliary verbs, infinitive forms, and punctuation rules.

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

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