Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-16
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
A family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the morning, but you won’t be home until the evening.
explain arrangements you have made for them to have keys and get into the house
tell your relative how to get from the train station to your house
say when you will be home and suggest what you could do together that evening
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Dear Rahul,
I am full of fun after i heard that you are coming. My intention to write this letter to inform you that the time you will come home. I will be not over there. Just because of my exam i will reach home by evening. I will arrange everything for even if i will not be over there. Keys that you need to unlock the house is under the carpet that just near the enterance. I am not sure what is your plan to come from station to house but there is a private taxi service just outside the station. The company name is suresh taxi service that you can book instant. This is not only cheap as compare to other but also very comfortable. My exam is till 5:30PM. I will be there arround 6:15PM. I book a park ticket as you told me about your interest. After that we have options to go for a movie or bolling. If you have any place in your mind let me know we will make a plan accordingly.
So exicted to see you,
Ram Verma
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the key arrangements, providing directions from the station, and suggesting evening activities. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a family member. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of the key location is brief, and the directions could be more descriptive to ensure the relative finds the house easily. While the task is fully addressed, the response lacks the depth of detail that would elevate it to a higher band. The structure is clear, and the purpose of the letter is evident throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the arrival arrangements to the meeting plans. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the frequent use of 'I will' at the start of sentences makes the flow feel a bit disjointed. Paragraphing is also absent, which is a significant issue for a formal or semi-formal letter; even in a personal letter, breaking the text into logical paragraphs (e.g., one for arrival/keys, one for directions, one for evening plans) would improve readability and coherence significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'private taxi service' and 'book instant'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and minor errors, such as 'full of fun' (should be 'excited'), 'over there' (used repeatedly and incorrectly), and 'bolling' (spelling error for 'bowling'). To reach a higher band, you should aim for more natural collocations and a wider range of vocabulary to express your thoughts with greater precision and variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'I will be not over there' (incorrect word order), 'as compare to' (should be 'compared to'), and 'I book a park ticket' (incorrect tense). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalization after periods. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction and verb tenses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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