Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-20

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)

Hi pal! Hope you are doing well great.

I m writting this letter to share my struggles regarding my recent job as you know i m working as a registered nurse in clinic.The owner is now demanding me to work ten hours instead of 6 hours that was already mentioned in my contract. I m truly fed up of this hectic routine. I have no time to get relax.

Moreover,i m looking for an alternative.I have send my resumes to different hospitals and clinics and still waiting for their response.

I writing this letter to get help from you regarding job. I request you to suggest me the best options corresponding to my job seeking. I want to have a job in which i have opportunities to grow and excel in my field i do not want to work like a robot. Please help me finding a job that suits my goals.

I m waiting for your response

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: explaining the reason for leaving, describing the desired job, and asking for help. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the description of the desired job is quite brief, focusing mainly on wanting to 'grow and excel.' To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific details about the type of environment or the specific nursing roles you are interested in. The purpose of the letter is clear throughout, and the response successfully communicates the situation to the reader.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is generally coherent, and the progression of ideas is logical. You use basic linking words like 'Moreover' to connect your thoughts. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the letter is presented as one block of text. Breaking the letter into clear paragraphs—one for the reason for leaving, one for the job description, and one for the request for help—would significantly improve the structure. Additionally, some cohesive devices are missing or used repetitively, which makes the flow feel a bit mechanical at times.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on common, simple words like 'get' and 'work.' There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'get relax' (should be 'relax' or 'get some rest') and 'corresponding to my job seeking' (which is slightly unnatural). To improve, try to incorporate more specific professional terminology related to nursing or job hunting. While the meaning is always clear, the range of vocabulary is limited to basic, everyday language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with verb tenses and punctuation. Examples include 'I m writting' (spelling and contraction errors), 'I have send' (incorrect past participle), and 'i m' (lack of capitalization). Sentence structures are mostly simple, with few attempts at complex sentences. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to impact the overall fluency. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and consistent use of punctuation will help you move to a higher band.

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

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