Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-10

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Your English-speaking friend who lives in your town has asked for your advice about learning a new sport. Write an email to your friend. In your email:

• recommend a new sport that would be suitable for your friend to learn
• explain how your friend could learn this sport
• suggest that you both learn this sport together

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ....................................,

 

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Dear Oli,

I am writing to you express this letter that you know advice about a new sport to learn. I would suggest a popular game in my town, which is basketball. Although, this game not only good for our health but also it is beneficial for our economic growth.

There is a great club around my house where you learn how to play this sport. Even you can register and start learn this game on the weekend.

Howy, you can stay in my house. And i personaly huge fun of basketball. But i cannot play this game. So I think I join this club with you.

I hope my letter will satisfie to you.

take care

Your friend

Toma

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify basketball as a suitable sport and mention a local club where Oli could learn, so the main topic is relevant. You also suggest joining the club together, but this point is unclear in “I think I join this club with you,” and the advice about how to learn is only briefly explained. The opening, “I am writing to you express this letter,” does not clearly establish the purpose, while the claim about “economic growth” is not relevant to your friend’s decision. The response is also 30 words below the required minimum, which limits the opportunity to develop the advice and cover each bullet fully. Explain why basketball suits Oli, give practical details about lessons or equipment, and make the invitation explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The email has a recognisable sequence: you recommend basketball, mention a club, and then propose learning together. Paragraph breaks help separate these points, and the closing gives the message a basic email shape. However, progression is uneven: “Although” introduces a contrast that is not completed, and “Even you can register” does not connect smoothly to the previous sentence. The final paragraph shifts abruptly from staying at your house to your own interest and inability to play. Use clearer links such as “There is also…” and “Since neither of us has played before…” and group the recommendation, learning arrangements, and invitation into a more logical order.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the central topic, with relevant terms such as “basketball,” “club,” “register,” and “weekend.” You also attempt phrases such as “beneficial for our economic growth,” but this is an unsuitable and unclear reason for recommending a sport. Several word choices or forms make the message difficult to interpret, including “express this letter,” “huge fun,” and “satisfie.” The range is limited, and some expressions are not natural in this context. Build a small set of useful phrases for giving advice and making arrangements, such as “I’d recommend…,” “beginner sessions,” and “sign up for a class,” and check spelling and collocations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple sentences and a more complex structure, as in “not only… but also,” but control is inconsistent. Errors occur in basic sentence patterns: “I am writing to you express” needs an infinitive marker, “this game not only good” is missing a verb, and “you learn how to play” needs a suitable modal or relative construction. The invitation “I think I join this club with you” also has an incorrect verb form. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, particularly “i” and the lower-case closing. These frequent errors sometimes make the intended meaning unclear. Practise accurate basic clauses first, then use a few controlled complex sentences with correct verb forms and linking words.

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