Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have decided to look for a new job.

Write a letter to a friend. In your letter
• explain why you are looking for a new job.
• describe the kind of job you would like to have.
• ask your friend to help you find a job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Dear Kelvin,

How's life over there, I heard that you have gone back to the United Kingdom when I visited your Sister Uchenna, I am writing this letter to let you know, that I am searching for a job vacancy in the state, my present job is no longer paying me well, a lot of responsibility and financial commitment of paying my children school fees and house rent is very high now.

Please, could you help me find a good job in brocasting company over there, I studied mass communication and am upper class in

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify a relevant reason for seeking a new job: your current position does not pay well, while school fees and rent create financial pressure. You also ask Kelvin to help you find work in a broadcasting company, so the main purpose is clear. However, the response only partially covers the task: the kind of role you want is not described beyond the industry, and the request for help is brief. The final sentence stops at “I am upper class in,” leaving an important detail unfinished. The response is also 55 words below the required minimum, which limits how fully you can explain your reasons, preferences, and request. Add specific duties or conditions you want and a clear, complete closing request.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter begins appropriately with a greeting and moves from personal news to your reason for writing and then to a request for help. This gives it some basic organisation. However, most of the content is compressed into one long sentence, with several ideas joined by commas, so the progression is difficult to follow. The unfinished ending, “I am upper class in,” also interrupts the message and leaves the reader unsure what you mean. Use separate paragraphs for your reason, the job you want, and your request, and connect ideas with clear transitions such as “Because of this” or “Ideally.” A complete closing would make the letter feel more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “financial commitment,” “school fees,” “house rent,” and “mass communication.” These phrases help communicate your circumstances and background. However, the range is limited, and some choices are inaccurate or unclear: “job vacancy in the state” does not clearly express the location you mean, while “upper class in” appears incomplete and does not convey your qualification or experience. “Brocasting” is also misspelled. Choose precise phrases such as “a position at a broadcasting company” and “I have a degree in mass communication.” More varied language for job duties, experience, and preferred working conditions would make the letter clearer and more effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to combine several ideas using clauses, but the sentence structures are limited and the long opening sentence is difficult to control. For example, “I heard that you have gone back to the United Kingdom when I visited your Sister” combines events without a clear grammatical relationship, and the sequence of commas creates a run-on sentence. The phrase “a lot of responsibility and financial commitment … is very high” also has an unclear subject and agreement pattern. The final clause, “I am upper class in,” is incomplete. Use shorter sentences and check that each has a clear subject and verb; for example, separate the news about Kelvin from the explanation of your financial pressures.

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

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