Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-10-03
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 5.0)
Dear Alex,
I am writing to inform you I will not be availabe at home when you arrive. I will be out of station on that time. I am really very sorry for this issue. But I have arranged for one of my friends will pick you up from the north subway station. He will give you the house keys. And I have shared his phone number with you. Once you arrive to north subway station so please do let him know and He will take you at my home.
My Brother once you stepout from our uncle's home. You have to take a taxi then it will take you to south subway station. Get your train ticket from station also the name of the train is Pak line train. It will take you to north subway station at 03:30 PM my friend will be waiting for you overthere and He will take you at my home.
Brother I will be at home around 05:30. Please be ready because I have reserved one of the best Chinese food restaurant in London The name of this restaurant is Barking 5-star China
We have some food and drinks overthere and we will enjoy the evening
Your Brother
Sam
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the three main bullet points of the prompt, successfully covering key aspects such as how the relative will get keys, directions from the station, and plans for the evening. However, the development of these ideas is limited and partially restricted. For instance, the instructions on how your relative gets to the train station initially are somewhat confusing, as you mention stepping out from an uncle's home before heading to the station. To reach a higher level, all parts of the prompt need to be extended with fully clear, well-supported details and a more logical flow of events throughout the entire letter.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
There is a basic level of organisation, but the overall progression of ideas lacks clarity. Sentences and paragraphs do not always flow smoothly, making it somewhat difficult to follow the transition between travel steps. Cohesive devices are sometimes inadequate, repetitive, or mechanically applied, such as the repeated use of connectors like 'And' and 'Then' at the start of sentences. Additionally, paragraphing is somewhat disjointed and could be structured more effectively to group related information together, such as keeping all travel instructions in one cohesive section before discussing evening plans.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, but the range is limited, and there are noticeable errors in word choice and expression. Phrases like 'out of station' and 'take you at my home' demonstrate awkward collocation and preposition usage. There are also slight lexical inaccuracies, such as referring to 'Pak line train'. To improve, you should try to expand your range of vocabulary by incorporating less common lexical items accurately and ensuring that your word choices and prepositions fit natural patterns of communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text displays a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent attempts at complex structures that result in grammatical errors. There are frequent errors in verb forms, tenses, and agreements, such as 'I will not be availabe', 'one of my friends will pick you up', and 'Once you arrive to north subway station so please do let him know'. Furthermore, punctuation and capitalization are inconsistent. To progress, you need to demonstrate better control over complex sentence patterns and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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