Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-24
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
You are a member of an International Students' club. The club is organising an event to celebrate popular food from around the world.
Write a letter to the event organiser, Luis. In your letter
- offer to make a popular dish from your country
- describe what this dish is
- explain why it should be included in the event
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Luis,
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Dear Luis,
I am writing to suggest some famous dishes for upcoming celebration of an event where you are representing the dishes from various nations.
My recommendation would be adding a dish called Chana Masala that is not only widely popular but also very easy to cook as it does not include a plenty of ingredients. Moreover, it is also cost-effective.
Chana Masala made of chickpeas and some common species
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 70 words long. Consequently, the ideas are significantly underdeveloped. While you have attempted to address the three bullet points—offering to make a dish, describing it, and explaining why it should be included—the lack of length means these points are not fully explored. To improve, you must expand on your descriptions and provide more detailed explanations to meet the task requirements. The current response is too brief to demonstrate the ability to develop ideas effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is very short, which limits the ability to demonstrate a range of cohesive devices. There is a basic attempt at paragraphing, but the text is fragmented. The logical progression is interrupted by the abrupt ending. To improve, ensure you use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in addition') to connect your ideas more fluidly. The current structure is too sparse to establish a clear, coherent flow of information throughout the letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is functional but limited. You have used some appropriate terms like 'cost-effective' and 'widely popular', but there are errors such as 'a plenty of ingredients' (should be 'plenty of ingredients') and 'common species' (likely meant 'spices'). The range is insufficient to convey complex ideas. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise vocabulary and ensuring correct collocations. Expanding your writing will naturally allow you to showcase a broader range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex structures, but there are noticeable errors. For example, 'upcoming celebration of an event where you are representing' is slightly awkward, and 'Chana Masala made of chickpeas' is a sentence fragment. There are also issues with article usage and word choice. While the meaning is generally clear, the grammatical control is inconsistent. To improve, focus on sentence construction and ensure that every sentence has a clear subject and verb.
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