Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-20

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 Mahira,

Hope you are doing splendidly! It feels like absolute ages since we last caught up. "How have things been going with you and your family?"

I heard that you are quite interested working in healthcare. Listen, I would love to guide you for future betterment. I have done personal support worker course three years ago. The course length is roughly 8 month of study and in total 1 year of program. Many university and colleges are offer this course. I went to the conestoga college doon campus.

I want give you some idea about the university. The conestoga is really great place to study, It offers wide range of courses and all kind of education. This place has some expert tutors, they are excellent in teaching. This university offer some work placement at end of the each semester, so you do not need to worry about finding a job after study.

Anyways I am wondering If you can come to my home next weekend, I can help you to fill application form for the university. Let me know if that's work with you.

''We will catch up soon! Take a good care of yourself and give my best wishes to your family."

Best Regards,

Maitri

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three requested points: you describe your Personal Support Worker course, recommend Conestoga College, and offer to help with the application. The course duration and campus provide useful details, while the recommendation mentions expert tutors and work placements. However, some information is too general or unclear to fully develop the advice. For example, “roughly 8 month of study and in total 1 year of program” does not explain how the course is structured, and the claim that placements mean she need not worry about finding a job is stronger than the evidence given. The application advice is also limited to filling in a form together. Add specific entry requirements, documents, or application steps, and explain more precisely what makes the college a good choice.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, separate paragraphs for the course and recommendation, and a closing invitation. This makes the main purpose easy to follow. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes loose: “I heard that you are quite interested working in healthcare” moves quickly to your offer of guidance and then to course details without a clear link. Some transitions and references are also awkward or repetitive, such as “I want give you some idea” and “Anyways.” The quoted questions and closing sentence in quotation marks interrupt the letter’s flow. Use straightforward links between each requested point, keep related details together, and present the greeting and sign-off without quotation marks.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main information, including relevant terms such as “Personal Support Worker course,” “work placement,” and “application form.” The friendly tone is appropriate for writing to a friend. However, the range is limited in places, and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, including “guide you for future betterment,” “wide range of courses and all kind of education,” and “work with you.” “University” is also used for Conestoga College, which is inconsistent with the institution named earlier. Choose more natural expressions and use precise terms for the course and college. For example, you could describe the college as offering “a broad range of programmes” and ask whether a proposed time “works for you.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both short statements and some longer sentences, and the intended meaning is generally understandable. However, errors occur across sentence structures, verb forms, agreement, articles, and punctuation. Examples include “interested working” (missing “in”), “I have done personal support worker course” (article and tense choice), “Many university and colleges are offer” (agreement and verb form), and “This university offer” (subject–verb agreement). Capitalisation and comma use are also inconsistent, as in “The conestoga is really great place to study, It offers…”. These recurring errors make the writing less controlled, even though they do not usually prevent understanding. Review basic sentence patterns and check each sentence for a complete verb, correct agreement, and appropriate articles.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.