Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-26

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,

Wanting to make a popular recipe in the club event.

In my country we have alot of popular dishes but in this coming club event I want to provide my talent through the dish called 'Aloo Tikki' becsuse its our traditional food item which you can see in every events in the india.

This dish has many ingredients like yogert, patoto, some sweet and sour sauces and while serving I will put some fruits and masalas on it. Also from the presentation of the dish you can judge the taste of food.

I decide this dish because I know over there , majority is international students which will really love this food because its there home country dish.

I will wait for your opinion and I am sure you will love this dish.

Yours faithfuly,

Komalpreet Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you offer to prepare Aloo Tikki, give a brief list of ingredients and toppings, and explain that it is traditional and familiar to international students. However, the description is quite limited, and the reason for including it is not fully convincing or clearly explained; for example, “majority is international students” does not show why this dish would appeal to the wider group. The response also contains 139 words, so it does not meet the 150-word minimum. Develop the dish description and explain its cultural significance or broad appeal in more detail, while making the recommendation clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter follows a generally understandable order: you introduce the offer, describe the dish, give a reason, and close politely. This provides some organisation, but the progression between ideas is not always clear. The opening fragment, “Wanting to make a popular recipe in the club event,” does not establish a complete purpose, and the sentence beginning “I decide this dish because” combines the reason with an unclear claim about the students. Linking is also limited, with “Also” doing little to show the relationship between presentation and taste. Use complete opening sentences, separate the dish description from your reasons, and connect each point with clearer transitions and references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “traditional food item,” “ingredients,” “sauces,” and “presentation,” so the reader can identify the dish and its components. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the message less clear or natural, such as “alot,” “becsuse,” “patoto,” “yogert,” and “masalas.” Phrases such as “provide my talent through the dish” and “judge the taste of food” are also awkward in this context. Choose more precise expressions, for example, “prepare a traditional dish” and “experience its flavour,” and check spelling carefully. More varied vocabulary for taste, preparation, and cultural importance would strengthen the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response communicates its main points, but grammatical control is inconsistent and the sentence structures are mostly simple, with some longer attempts that are difficult to follow. The opening, “Wanting to make a popular recipe in the club event,” is a fragment, while “I decide this dish” needs a suitable verb form. There are also errors in articles, agreement, and sentence construction, as in “in every events in the india” and “majority is international students.” The final sentence, “I will wait for your opinion,” is understandable but would be more naturally expressed with a future form such as “I look forward to hearing your opinion.” Practise complete sentences and check verb forms and agreement.

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