Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-17

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You are planning a business trip to another city. You will have some free time to do some sightseeing while you are there.
 

Write a letter to a friend who lives in the city you will visit. In your letter:
• explain the purpose of the trip.
• ask about things to do and see in the city.
• invite your friend to do something with you during your visit.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ____

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Hello Bill,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this letter regarding my trip on August 12 in you city Vaughan. My purpose of this visit to give an exam regarding my higher education.

I was planning my trip and found on internet some interesting places such as The Old Museum and Wind Mill, which i want to explore with you. I would like to request you to take one day off from your work so, we can visit there. Also, I want meet Uncle and Ant to get their blessings before my exam. Moreover, I have bought a smartphone which we discussed last month and it is very interesting and useful. Also, I have surprise for you as well.

I will look forward to your response and hope you will do this for me.

your faithfully,

Lovepreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the purpose of the trip, a request for sightseeing recommendations, and an invitation to meet. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. The purpose of the trip is mentioned briefly, and the invitation is somewhat abrupt. To improve, you should expand on your plans and provide more detail regarding your interest in the city to ensure the letter feels complete and meets the length requirement. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, though the closing 'your faithfully' is incorrect for a personal letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'Also' and 'Moreover' are used repeatedly, which makes the flow feel a bit repetitive. The transition between the purpose of the trip and the invitation to meet could be smoother. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that connects logically to the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You use basic terms like 'interesting' and 'useful' repeatedly. There are also some errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Ant' instead of 'Aunt' and 'in you city' instead of 'in your city'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited. To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and specific collocations related to travel and social plans to demonstrate a wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'My purpose of this visit to give an exam' (missing verb 'is') and 'found on internet' (missing article 'the'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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