Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-04
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 Riya,
I hope you are doing well.
I am going to write this email to you because I know that you will be arrive in Toronto today evening. Actually I have an important meeting that time so I am not able come for pick you.
Firstly, after arriving at the airport pick a train from union station. After that my friend pick you from main bus stop and he have keys of my house.
Secondly, he will drop you at my house. I will make a lunch for you it will be in the fridge. Please take it after some rest and take a bath as well. Everything will be on the cupboard please take it what you want.
Lastly, I will come back from my meeting around 6 pm, then we will go for dinner and do some part as well as shopping.
See you soon.
Regards,
Manpreet Kaur
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: key arrangements, directions from the station, and evening plans. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For instance, the instructions regarding the train and the friend are slightly confusing, as you mention the airport and then a bus stop, which contradicts the prompt's mention of a train station. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a family member, but the content lacks the necessary detail to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 6 or higher. To improve, ensure your instructions are logical and clearly explained so the reader can follow them easily.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You have used basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Lastly' to sequence your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the logical progression is hindered by the confusing instructions regarding the travel route. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'Everything will be on the cupboard', which is vague. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed idea will help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate the basic requirements. You use common phrases like 'I hope you are doing well' and 'See you soon' effectively. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'do some part' (likely meaning 'do something') and 'take a bath' (which is slightly unnatural in this context; 'have a shower' is more common). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on simple, repetitive structures. To improve, try to incorporate more precise verbs and descriptive adjectives to make your writing sound more natural and fluent.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'you will be arrive' (should be 'you will be arriving'), 'I am not able come' (should be 'I am not able to come'), and 'he have keys' (should be 'he has the keys'). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and attempts at more complex sentences often contain errors in verb tense or preposition usage. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of auxiliary verbs. Reviewing basic sentence construction will help you produce more accurate and error-free sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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