Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-22

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)

Hi, Tony

I hope you are doing well. How is your trip going on. I forget that you are comming home this friday. I have an important meeting on Friday day morning, I just watched your train ticket, it shows that you will arrive at train station at 9:00 am. I am in meeting on that time. I am really sorry for that, I forget that about. I donot have that in my mind otherwise, I will reschedule my meeting. But I will arrange ride for you to home. My best friend Jazz will pick you up from station. I will take him your phone number and ticket. He will call once he will be there. If you need any kind of help, just give me a text. See you at home.

My regards.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you addressed the core requirements—explaining the key arrangements, providing directions, and suggesting evening activities—the content is underdeveloped. Specifically, you did not provide the requested directions from the train station to your house, nor did you suggest any activities for the evening. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a family member, but the lack of detail and the failure to meet the length constraint prevent a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is written as a single block of text, which lacks proper paragraphing. In a formal or semi-formal letter, it is essential to use paragraphs to separate different topics, such as the arrival arrangements, the directions, and the evening plans. The flow of ideas is somewhat disjointed, and the use of cohesive devices is limited. For example, the transition between mentioning the meeting and the ride arrangement is abrupt. Improving the logical progression of ideas and using a wider variety of linking words would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which limits your ability to express ideas with precision. Phrases like 'I forget that' and 'I am in meeting' are grammatically awkward and demonstrate a limited range. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic message, there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated language appropriate for a letter. To improve, you should focus on using more natural collocations and a wider variety of descriptive verbs and adjectives to make your writing more engaging and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'How is your trip going on' (incorrect preposition), 'I forget that you are comming' (tense error and spelling), and 'I will take him your phone number' (incorrect verb choice). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of periods and commas. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct verb tenses, and sentence variety will help improve your accuracy and range.

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

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