Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-24

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 4.0)

Dear Neha,

Hope you are doing great. I am happy to hear that you want to apply the same course that I did in my university.

Firstly, I did Master of Management from University of Niagara Falls. In this course, you will learn about the different types of business management process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The opening establishes a friendly purpose and gives one relevant course detail: you studied a Master of Management at the University of Niagara Falls. You also briefly say what the course covers. However, the response addresses only part of the task: it does not explain why you recommend the university or give advice about applying. The course description is also very general, with no examples of subjects, teaching, or workload. The response is substantially below the required 150 words, so there is not enough development to fulfil the letter’s purpose. Add specific reasons for recommending the university and practical application steps, such as checking entry requirements, preparing documents, and meeting deadlines.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The ideas appear in a sensible initial order: you greet Neha, acknowledge her interest, and then introduce your course. The paragraph break also separates the opening from the course information. However, the letter stops before it can develop a clear progression through all three requested points, and the single transition, “Firstly,” promises further points that never follow. The short response therefore feels incomplete rather than fully organised as a letter. To improve, use separate paragraphs for course details, reasons to choose the university, and application advice, with simple links such as “Another reason” and “To apply, I suggest…”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use a small set of relevant terms, including “Master of Management,” “university,” and “business management,” so the topic is clear. The friendly opening, “Hope you are doing great,” is suitable for writing to a friend. However, the vocabulary range is narrow, and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “apply the same course” and “different types of business management process.” These choices make the course description less clear and specific. Use more precise language for course content and university advantages—for example, name subjects, practical projects, facilities, or support services. A broader set of application-related terms would also help you give useful advice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response uses straightforward sentence forms that communicate the basic message, and the sentence beginning “In this course, you will learn…” shows an attempt to describe what a prospective student can expect. However, the range is very limited, with mostly short, simple statements and little evidence of more varied structures. There are also grammatical issues in “I am happy to hear that you want to apply the same course that I did in my university”: the verb pattern should be “apply for,” and the relative clause is awkwardly formed. “Hope you are doing great” omits the subject, which is common informally but less complete in a letter. Practise accurate verb patterns and add varied sentences to explain reasons and advice.

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

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