Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-01

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 Sana

Hope you are doing well .Actully I have a bussiness trip in your city so i thought i will meet you and enjoy some side views because i like natural environment and hikking as in my city there are no such type of activity

So I decided after my bussiness meeting I got one week off and spent this time with you as Iwant some rest in my daily routine

I heard that there are some delicious cousines available at different resturents in your city so i have a plan to enjoy all these with you to make the trip more memorable.

I heard that there are huge mountains which are great for hiking can you give me some time to do this activity so it will more enjoyable trip of my life.

I want to meet you soon as and will had a great time with you

yours truly

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain that the visit is for a business trip, ask about sightseeing and food, and suggest spending time with Sana. The references to hiking and local restaurants make the letter relevant and personal. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The purpose is mentioned, but the business meeting and the timing of your free week could be explained more clearly; likewise, the invitation is present but remains vague about a specific activity or time. To strengthen the letter, state what kind of business meeting you will attend and invite Sana to a particular outing, such as a hike or dinner on a named day.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas follow a generally understandable order: you introduce the trip, describe your free time, mention food and hiking, and close by expressing enthusiasm about meeting. This gives the letter an overall sense of progression. However, most of the content is presented as one continuous block, and several ideas run together without clear punctuation or transitions. For example, the opening moves from the business trip to sightseeing and your interest in nature in a single long sentence. Divide the message into short paragraphs and use clearer links between the trip purpose, your questions, and the invitation. This would make the organisation easier to follow and reduce the impression of ideas being joined mechanically.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “business trip,” “natural environment,” “hiking,” “cuisines,” and “memorable,” so the reader can understand the main message. However, the range is limited and several spelling or word-choice errors make the writing less fluent, such as “bussiness,” “hikking,” “cousines,” and “resturents.” Some combinations are also unnatural: “side views” does not clearly express sightseeing, and “huge mountains” is less precise than a description of local hiking trails or scenery. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for travel and invitations. More precise choices would help you express your interests naturally without changing the friendly tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example with “because” and “so,” and the main message is usually understandable. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors in verb forms, sentence boundaries, and punctuation occur throughout. Examples include “I thought i will meet you,” “I got one week off and spent this time,” and “will had a great time”; these need more consistent tense and verb patterns. The opening also joins several clauses without full stops, while the closing lacks clear sentence punctuation. Practise forming accurate past and future expressions, and use shorter sentences where needed. This will make your meaning clearer while allowing you to retain some complex sentences.

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

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