Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-03
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 hope this email finds you well, As a member of an international student's club I'm writing this letter about the upcoming event to celebrate popular food from around the world.
I was hoping to have a dish called Gulab jamun its a dessert from my country, people love this dessert especially after dinner in my country, so i was thinking that it would be great idea to have it on the menu as its very popular dessert from my country.
Thank you for you hard work and let me know how this idea sounds to you. I would be happy to hear from you soon.
Warm Regards,
Shruti Sikdar
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses all three bullet points: offering a dish, describing it, and explaining its inclusion. However, the development of these points is very limited, and the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement. The description of the 'Gulab jamun' is brief, and the explanation for its inclusion is repetitive, relying on the phrase 'popular dessert from my country' multiple times. To achieve a higher band, you must expand on your ideas by providing more sensory details about the dish and more specific reasons why it would be a hit at an international event.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is logically organized with a clear opening and closing. However, the paragraphing is insufficient, and the use of cohesive devices is very basic. There is a lack of variety in linking words, which makes the flow feel somewhat mechanical. For example, the second paragraph is a run-on sentence that would benefit from being broken down or connected with more sophisticated transitions. Improving the use of cohesive devices like 'furthermore,' 'consequently,' or 'in addition' would help the ideas flow more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. You rely on simple, repetitive language, such as using 'popular' and 'dessert' multiple times in close proximity. There is little attempt to use less common or more descriptive vocabulary to make the letter engaging. To improve, try to incorporate more varied adjectives and topic-specific terminology related to food and cultural events. The spelling is generally accurate, but the limited range of vocabulary restricts the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains several grammatical errors, particularly regarding punctuation and sentence structure. There are comma splices, such as 'I hope this email finds you well, As a member...', and a lack of proper capitalization for the pronoun 'i'. The sentence structure is mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these minor errors and the lack of structural variety prevent a higher score. Focus on mastering basic sentence punctuation and using a wider variety of complex structures.
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