Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-04
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 Sawyer
I hope you are doing well these days. As you know well I completed the Global Business Management postgraduate certificate course from Toronto University last year. this is 2 year post graduate course and highly recommended if you have an interest in business and supply chain management subjects.
if I talk about the university, which is undoubtdely, is the best university for graduate and post gradutae courses. there are huge numbers of students who higly prefered this university for PhD as well.
as per your future study plan, you background qualification is bachelor's of business administration, I advised you to take the same course as there are high options for future business and also have a great pathways for logistics industry as weel. if you want to apply go online to their website and download the application form. and pay the fees. you have to wait for the offer letter. if you selected you need to deposit the fees and start classes.
your lovingly
manpreet.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, as you successfully mentioned the course details, explained why you recommend Toronto University, and provided steps on how to apply. However, some areas remain partially under-developed or lack full elaboration. For instance, the details about the course and the application process are somewhat brief, such as simply stating to 'go online to their website and download the application form'. To move to a higher band, all parts of the task would need to be more fully extended and supported with clearer details and a more thorough explanation of your experience and recommendations.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and clearly follows a friendly letter format with an appropriate opening and closing. There is a logical flow from greeting the friend, discussing the course and university, giving advice on the application, and signing off. However, the progression between ideas is sometimes mechanical or abrupt, and paragraphing is underdeveloped, as most of the body text is grouped into a single block. Cohesive devices are used simply rather than flexibly, with repetitive sentence starters like 'if I talk about' and 'as per your'. To improve, you should organize your thoughts into distinct paragraphs for each main point and use a wider variety of cohesive links.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, providing enough general words to communicate your message about university courses and applications. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'undoubtdely', 'post gradutae', 'higly prefered', 'background qualification', and 'weel'. You also rely on basic and repetitive lexical items throughout the letter. To reach a higher level, you should attempt a broader range of vocabulary, including less common business and academic terms, while ensuring greater accuracy in spelling and word forms to prevent any strain on the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing shows a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on basic sentences and simple coordination. When you attempt more complex structures, they are often faulty, featuring frequent errors in punctuation, capitalization, and articles. Examples include missing capitalization at the beginning of sentences ('this is 2 year', 'if I talk', 'as per your'), missing articles ('is 2 year post graduate course'), and run-on sentences with comma splices ('university, which is undoubtdely, is the best'). Frequent errors are present throughout the text, which can occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. Greater control over complex sentence patterns, punctuation, and article usage is needed to improve.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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