Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-11
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 5.5)
Dear Ram,
How are you doing? I really glad you have finally decided to learn a sport. I would recommend you to learn colour game sport. This is really a easy one .
Firstly, you have to take one colour name then, said it out loud. As per game rules, people who are playing with you have to look for that paticular colour and touch. It is really popular in my hometown. You can learn this sport either internet or kids can help you to learn it. It helps, like physical training in this game; we have to learn and skim the colour. If you want we can leran it together, so we can spend time together , since childhood we have not played any sport together . This game would help you ti stay fit and you do not hve to go gym as well. In other words, you can save money and time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
You address all three points: you recommend a sport, explain its basic rules and how to learn it, and invite Ram to join you. The explanation that players “look for that particular colour and touch” gives the reader a useful idea of how the game works, while the reference to playing together since childhood makes the invitation personal. This meets the task well, though some ideas are less fully developed: “colour game sport” is not clearly identified or explained as a recognised sport, and the learning advice (“either internet or kids”) is vague. Clarify the sport’s name and give a practical learning route, such as a local class or a beginner’s online tutorial, to make the advice more complete.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The message follows a generally sensible order: you introduce the recommendation, describe the rules, explain how Ram might learn, and finish with the invitation and benefits. Connectors such as “Firstly,” “If you want,” and “In other words” help signal these stages. However, the response is presented as one long paragraph, so the shifts between explaining the game, its benefits, and your invitation are not clearly separated. Some linking is also mechanical or unclear, particularly “It helps, like physical training in this game,” which does not show how the ideas relate. Use two or three short paragraphs and clearer transitions to make the progression easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “game rules,” “physical training,” “stay fit,” and “save money and time.” These choices communicate the general purpose of the email. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate enough to make parts less clear: “colour game sport” does not identify the activity naturally, and “learn and skim the colour” is difficult to understand. There are also spelling errors such as “paticular,” “leran,” and “hve.” Choose precise terms for the sport and its actions, and check spelling carefully. More natural phrases such as “learn the rules” and “search for and touch an object of that colour” would improve clarity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including the conditional invitation “If you want, we can learn it together” and the reason introduced by “since.” The main message is usually understandable, but errors in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction recur. For example, “I really glad” needs a verb (“I’m really glad”), and “you have to take one colour name then, said it out loud” has an incorrect verb form and unclear structure. The sentence beginning “It helps, like physical training” is also incomplete or awkwardly joined. Practise forming clear clauses with accurate verbs and articles, and use punctuation to separate instructions and explanations.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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