Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-12

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)

I have decided to search for a new job. dear friend I have spent a lot of time in many jobs but I did not feel myself in comfort.I worked in hotel. My time of working was about 12 hours. I became very tired to work in hotel. My salary was very small. It could not meet my home and offspring expenses.this made me very sad about my home expenses.I like to work in electronics center,because I like to work in it and I believe that it could bear my home expenses. please help me in finding this good job for me.please help me because I can not find this sort of job and I know that you have a great access to such kinds of jobs please open for me a good source of such sort of the job.I will remember your such kindness in all my life ok.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: explaining the reason for leaving, describing the desired job, and asking for help. However, the development of these ideas is quite basic. For instance, the explanation of why you are leaving the hotel job is repetitive, focusing heavily on 'home expenses' and 'sadness' rather than providing a more professional or nuanced explanation. The description of the desired job is also vague, simply stating an 'electronics center' without specifying a role or industry. To improve, aim to provide more specific details about your skills and the type of work you are seeking to make the letter more persuasive and realistic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks paragraphing, which is essential for a clear structure. The flow of ideas is somewhat disjointed, and the transition between sentences is often abrupt. While you use some cohesive devices like 'because' and 'and', the overall organization is mechanical. The letter begins with a confusing opening, and the lack of a formal sign-off or clear paragraph breaks makes the text feel like a single block of speech rather than a structured letter. To improve, use clear paragraph breaks for each bullet point and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'home expenses' and 'help me' are used multiple times, which restricts the range of your expression. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'did not feel myself in comfort' and 'great access to such kinds of jobs'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of variety and the reliance on simple, repetitive phrasing prevents the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, try to use synonyms and more precise professional terminology related to job searching and workplace environments.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with article usage ('in hotel'), verb tense consistency, and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence structures. Punctuation is also problematic, with missing spaces after periods and incorrect capitalization (e.g., 'dear friend'). These errors occasionally make the text difficult to follow. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensure proper subject-verb agreement, and practice using a mix of simple and complex sentences. Proofreading for basic punctuation and capitalization errors will also significantly improve the quality of your writing.

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

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