Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-07

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 5.5)

Dear Suresh,

I hope you are doing well, as you know I did my masters in marketing and I got job in a company. Now that company will move to other province next month so I quit that job. I am looking a new job in same field.

Furthermore, I would like to join automobile company because my last job was in same sector I am familiar with those kind of working conditions so would not be difficult for me to adjust in that environment.

Moreover, I would appreciate it if you could find or give me a reference of same kind of job.

I look forward to hearing from you. Hope you could understand my position and help me to find a suitable job for me as early as possible.

Kind regards,

Jag

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining the reason for the job search, describing the desired role, and requesting assistance. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation for leaving the previous job is brief, and the request for help lacks detail or a personal touch typical of a letter to a friend. To improve, you should expand on your professional background and provide more context regarding your relationship with the friend to better meet the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. For example, the transition 'Furthermore' and 'Moreover' are used in a way that feels slightly repetitive given the short length of the text. The flow between sentences is generally clear, but the lack of depth in the content makes the overall structure feel underdeveloped. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between your personal situation and your request would improve the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for a basic letter but lacks the range and precision expected for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'same field' and 'same sector'. There are also minor collocation errors, such as 'I got job' (missing the article 'a') and 'move to other province' (missing 'another'). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more specific professional terminology related to marketing and job hunting, and pay closer attention to articles and prepositions to ensure your word choices are natural and accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'I did my masters' (should be 'Master's'), 'I got job' (missing 'a'), 'I am looking a new job' (missing 'for'), and 'those kind of working conditions' (should be 'that kind' or 'those kinds'). These errors are noticeable and occasionally impede the flow of the text. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that prepositions are used correctly with verbs like 'looking for'.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.