Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-29
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
A friend of yours is thinking about applying for the same course that you did at university. He/She has asked for your advice about studying this subject. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
- give details of the course you took at the university
- explain why you recommend the university
- give some advice about how to apply
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear .................. ,
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Dear Sara,
I am fine and hope you are also enjoying your life. I have come to know that you are planning to study The Microbiology. I appreciate your enthusiasm to study this subject. I would recommend you to take admission in my university, as it is not only famous for science subjects but also provide all the essential facilities. The teachers are very dedicated and altruistic always eager to help the students in any problem regarding studies. In addition, labs are also fantastic and equipped with latest technology. The campus is very spacious, and beautiful with peaceful environment. Our university provides pick and drop facility that is free for students. There is is a very grand canteen containing all kinds of cuisines. Besides, the most important feature is its location, that is in the heart of city.
I hope you will apply promptly, after these all information. Please apply as soon as possible. you can apply online.
Yours sincerely,
Sobia.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The letter addresses all three bullet points: it mentions the course (Microbiology), provides reasons for recommending the university (facilities, staff, location), and gives advice on applying (online). However, the development is somewhat superficial. For example, the description of the course is limited to just the subject name, lacking specific details about the curriculum or the student's personal experience. The advice on how to apply is also very brief. To reach a higher band, the ideas should be more fully extended with specific examples or personal anecdotes that demonstrate a deeper engagement with the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is generally coherent, and the ideas are logically sequenced. Paragraphing is present, though the letter is quite short, making the structure feel a bit compressed. There is some use of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Besides', and 'However', but the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. The transition between the recommendation of the university and the advice on how to apply is somewhat abrupt. Improving the use of linking phrases to connect ideas more fluidly would enhance the overall readability and coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. While terms like 'altruistic' and 'enthusiasm' are used correctly, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'take admission in' (should be 'apply for' or 'enroll in') and 'pick and drop facility' (a common regionalism, but less standard in international English). The phrasing 'after these all information' is also grammatically and lexically incorrect. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more natural collocations would improve the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'The Microbiology' (unnecessary article), 'provide all the essential facilities' (subject-verb agreement error: 'provides'), and 'There is is a very grand canteen' (repetition). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor issues with comma usage, such as 'The campus is very spacious, and beautiful with peaceful environment'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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