Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-16

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 Alex,

I hope you are doing well. After a long time no see.Next month,I have a business meeting regarding the healthcare in London so i decide to visit you and spend my spare time with you.

I need your company to explore the new places in central London as it's my first time in London.Can you assist me during my trip. atleast we can spend some time together and make new memories together. Additionally Dlduring my trip you can suggest places to visit before my visit so i can look it.

I am waiting for response.

best wishes

Rimsha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the three main points: you explain that you are travelling for a healthcare-related business meeting, ask Alex to help you explore London, and invite them to spend time with you. However, the purpose is only briefly stated, and the request for sightseeing advice is vague; “suggest places to visit” would be stronger if you asked about specific attractions or activities. The invitation is also not a clear proposal for a particular outing. The response is 100 words, so it does not meet the required minimum of 150 words. This leaves the ideas limited and under-developed. Add details about the meeting, the kinds of places you hope to see, and a specific plan with Alex.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a generally understandable order: you greet Alex, explain your visit, ask for help and close with a sign-off. This coherent overall arrangement helps the reader follow your purpose. However, the ideas are compressed into one paragraph, and the transitions between the business meeting, sightseeing request and invitation are not always smooth. “Additionally” signals a new point, but the sentence that follows is difficult to follow, while “atleast” does not clearly connect to the preceding request. Use separate paragraphs for the trip purpose and your plans, and then make the invitation a distinct point. Clearer links such as “While I’m there” would make the progression more natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the main situation, including “business meeting,” “spare time,” “explore” and “places to visit.” However, the range is limited, and some word choices or combinations sound unnatural or unclear, such as “regarding the healthcare,” “need your company” and “so i can look it.” These choices make parts of the request harder to understand. Aim for more precise phrases that suit a friendly letter, such as explaining that the meeting is “about healthcare” and asking Alex to “recommend some sights.” Check spelling and capitalisation as well: “Dlduring” and “i” distract from the message. More varied, accurate expressions would make the letter clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response mainly uses simple sentence patterns, with a few attempts to join ideas using “as” and “so.” These attempts show some range, but several sentences contain errors that can make the reader pause. For example, “After a long time no see” is not a complete, well-formed sentence, and “Next month,I have … so i decide” has punctuation and verb-form problems. The question “Can you assist me during my trip” also needs a question mark. Use complete sentences and check tense consistency: because the trip is in the future, “I’ve decided to visit” or “I’m planning to visit” would fit. Breaking longer sentences into shorter ones will help you control grammar and punctuation.

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

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