Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-09
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)
Dear Manish,
How are you? I hope everything going well. I am writing this letter regarding my upcoming business trip in next month in your living city.
My company decided to sending me for attain a business conference in next month in the London. So i thought it been long time catch up with you let me inform this exciting news with you. This conferece will take two days in central london on 10th to 12th november so we can plan the explore the city, clubbing, food etc.. I find out a few website offering london eye, medam tussad and other landmarks tickets combo with offers. But i am waiting for your conferemation before the book.
I am coming on 10th november and i am staying on stay in hotel. I will stay 7 days in that hotel. let me know about your plan so we can plan further.
Warm regards,
shraddha.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The letter addresses all three requirements: you explain that the trip is for a business conference, ask about sightseeing and activities, and invite Manish to make plans with you. The specific dates and your interest in the London Eye and Madame Tussauds make the purpose and proposed visit clear. However, the request for advice is not fully developed: you mention attractions you found online, but could ask directly which places your friend recommends or what is worth seeing. The invitation is also somewhat indirect; “let me know about your plan” does not clearly propose a particular shared activity. Make that invitation explicit and add a little detail about what you hope to do together.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The message follows a generally sensible order, moving from the reason for writing to conference details and possible sightseeing, then to your stay and a closing request. Paragraphing helps separate the opening from the main information. Some links between ideas are less clear, however: “So i thought it been long time catch up with you let me inform this exciting news with you” combines several purposes without clear boundaries, and the final paragraph repeats planning without advancing the arrangements. Use clearer sentence breaks and connect each paragraph to one main purpose—for example, conference details, a direct question about sightseeing, and a specific invitation. This would make the progression easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “business conference,” “landmarks,” “tickets combo,” and “clubbing,” so the reader can understand the general topic and your interests. There is some variety in the activities and places mentioned. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “your living city,” “for attain a business conference,” and “plan the explore the city.” Spelling errors in “conferece,” “conferemation,” and “medam tussad” also reduce accuracy. Choose more natural expressions such as “the city where you live,” “attend a conference,” and “explore the city,” and check the spelling of place names before sending the letter.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The letter includes both simple statements and attempts to combine ideas, such as “This conference will take two days … so we can plan…,” but control of sentence structure and verb forms is uneven. Examples include “I hope everything going well,” “My company decided to sending me,” and “I am staying on stay in hotel.” These need forms such as “I hope everything is going well,” “decided to send me,” and “I am staying in a hotel.” There are also errors with articles, prepositions, and capitalization, including “in the London” and lowercase “i” and “london.” Review verb patterns after “decide,” article use with place names, and sentence boundaries; these corrections would make your meaning more consistently clear.
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