Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-30
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 Raj,
I’m glad that you are enrolling in Human Resources and business management course which i already did it. I highly recommend you yo pic this course because you will enjoy lot.
This course available in different universities but i completed at Algoma university at Brampton downtown. In this course, included all management and business related subjects such as business marketing, social networking and ethics. Also, last semester it’s include accounting and economics aa well.
I recommend this school because it’s give half courses online and other half is in person class.
Even though, Algoma give free library and computer classes access, also it gives almost 15% off every subject that’s huge difference aa compared other universities.
Applying this university is to easy raj, you could check algoma online website that is www.algomau.ca. You not only contact direct to university but also visit walk in all appointments are acceptable. One more benefit for you because I was student in this school so i gave my student id that will consider you as a first priority.
Stay touch with me.
Lots of love
Bhawna
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The letter covers all three bullet points: it describes the course, explains why the university is recommended, and provides advice on how to apply. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of the course content is a simple list, and the advice on applying could be more detailed. While the task is fully addressed, the depth of the response is basic, which prevents it from reaching a higher band. To improve, try to elaborate on your personal experience with the subjects or provide more specific steps for the application process.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is logically organized into paragraphs, each focusing on one of the required points. There is a clear progression of ideas from the course description to the recommendation and finally the application advice. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Also', 'Even though'). Some transitions are missing or awkward, such as the jump between the university benefits and the application instructions. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would help the flow of the letter significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choice, such as 'pic this course' (pick), 'it’s give half courses' (it offers), and 'that’s huge difference aa compared' (as compared to). While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited to basic, everyday language. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more precise collocations and avoid repetitive structures. Expanding your vocabulary related to academic study and university processes would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('Algoma give', 'it’s include'), missing articles ('at Algoma university'), and incorrect verb forms ('which i already did it'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of apostrophes and commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would lead to immediate improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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