Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-08

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 Ryan,

Hey, I hope you are doing great my friend. I got your letter regarding the camping holidays and in this letter i make sure i would explain you why should this camping activity and also will be sharing some of my persnal experiences with you.

Firstly, I am really happy to know that you thought of experiencing something different like a camping with staranger during this holidays and i should say that you should attemd this activity. This will not only help you to make new friends but also will be helpful in learning new skills like communication, decision making and tackeling new problem with different solutions.

Secondly, despite of having number of merits regarding this activity, there are also some drawbacks where you have stay in forset area without any animities. You also have fix your own tent and make your own food while your in campign. Additonaly, there will issues of filies and mosqutioes.

Thirdly, I was exiticed to join you for this holiday campign but unfortunately due to some urgent work in office and sudden changes by clients in project, I have to drop this time.

I humbly request you to go for this holdiay campign programme and this really vitial for your ehancing your

Best

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you explain that camping could help Ryan make friends and learn skills, mention practical drawbacks such as preparing food and dealing with insects, and say you cannot join because of work commitments. The advice to try the holiday is also clear. However, some points are only briefly developed: the benefits could be linked more specifically to what Ryan enjoys, and the disadvantages would be clearer with a little explanation of how to prepare for them. The closing sentence is unfinished (“this really vitial for your ehancing your”), so your final encouragement is not fully communicated. Develop the ideas more evenly and complete the ending.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement, with separate paragraphs for benefits, disadvantages, and your availability. “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Thirdly” make the sequence easy to follow, and the reason you cannot join is placed appropriately near the end. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some of the stronger progression associated with a higher level. However, the numbered transitions feel mechanical for a friendly letter, and the opening repeats that you will explain your advice rather than moving directly into it. The final paragraph is incomplete, which weakens the ending. Use more natural links such as “You’d probably enjoy…” and “One thing to bear in mind…” and finish with a complete sign-off.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “make new friends,” “decision making,” “fix your own tent,” and “mosquitoes.” These choices make the main ideas understandable. However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce clarity, including “staranger,” “animities,” “filies,” and “vitial.” Some combinations are also unnatural, such as “camping holidays” and “holiday camping programme.” Aim for accurate, natural phrases rather than adding difficult words: for example, “camping trip,” “camping facilities,” and “set up your tent.” Proofreading spelling and choosing familiar collocations carefully would make your message more fluent and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including the contrast in “This will not only help you…but also…” and the explanation of why you cannot join. However, control is uneven, and errors in verb forms, sentence construction, articles, and punctuation sometimes make the reader work to understand the message. For example, “in this letter i make sure i would explain you” has an unclear verb pattern, while “there are also some drawbacks where you have stay” is not grammatically complete. “You also have fix your own tent” needs a correctly formed verb after “have to.” Practise complete sentence patterns and check subject–verb forms, articles, and punctuation; this will help your varied attempts communicate more reliably.

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

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