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 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 friend,

I am writing this letter to you regarding to suggest you to apply courses that also I have choose for me. If you choose that subject for studying so that is good for you.

I have take the organic Chemistry master course in the university. This subject is very interesting subject for research purposes and also very benefit fully to growing our own progress. If you took this subject for studying purposes so I definitely would to suggest you took it.

I also want to recommend to choose the university same that I choose for me because the university culture is very nice, students and seniors behaviour with juniors and new joined students is very good. Also, professors are very helpful. This university celebrates all of us festivals and arrange every month something new activity for refreshments.

I want to give you some advice about how to apply for admission and how to join the course. First I want to know you that you can apply online from the university website either you can apply offline via come at the university and go to reception desk they will give admission form and course selection form you fill both forms and submit in administration office and thereafter you have to pay for course you took it for studying in university. This is the procedure you follow for admission.

I’m graciously waiting for your joining and meet with you. Apply and came here for study asap. If you required any other help from my side feel free to contact me on [redacted phone].

Your friend,

Shilpa Chaudhary

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: describing the course, recommending the university, and providing application advice. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention the course is 'organic Chemistry', you do not elaborate on why it was valuable or what specific skills were gained. Similarly, the advice on how to apply is a bit repetitive and lacks professional clarity. To improve, try to provide more specific details or examples that would be genuinely helpful to a friend, ensuring the tone remains consistently appropriate for a personal letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into logical paragraphs, each focusing on one of the required points. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'First I want to know you' and 'thereafter you have to pay' feel slightly unnatural. While the overall progression of ideas is clear, the transitions between sentences could be smoother. Using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in addition') would help the flow of your writing and make the connections between your ideas more explicit.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite basic and contains several word-choice errors. For instance, you use 'benefit fully' instead of 'beneficial' and 'refreshments' in a context where 'extracurricular activities' or 'social events' would be more precise. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'apply courses' instead of 'apply for a course'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic and descriptive vocabulary rather than relying on simple, repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with verb tenses and sentence structure. Examples include 'I have take' (should be 'I took'), 'I definitely would to suggest' (should be 'I would definitely suggest'), and 'either you can apply offline via come at the university' (should be 'by coming to the university'). While your meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction hinder the fluency of your writing. You should focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions.

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

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