Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-10-21
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 Frank,
I am very glad that as you are coming to my side this evening to see me and spend sometime with me just that i will not be around by the time you will arrive but i have made all the arrangements on how you will pick up the keys from my very good neighbor and get back into the house to relax till I am back from work in the Evening.
From your park enter bus going to Onitsha city make sure you told the person in charge that you will drop at Nitel bus stop then once your their then you have to enter another Cab to Ekene junction that's my side.
Once I am back from work then we have to enter town so i can take you around for a Movie,Club, relaxion park also we are go for your favourite delicacies.
I can't really want to see you lets share our old Time sweet moments together
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You address the main situation and include all three requested areas: you say a neighbour will provide the keys, give a route via Onitsha, Nitel bus stop and Ekene junction, and suggest going out together after work. These details make the letter relevant. However, the arrangements are only partly clear: explain exactly how Frank should identify or contact the neighbour and where the keys will be collected. The directions also need clearer steps, especially the starting point and the final route from Ekene junction to your house. Your evening plans are listed rather than developed, and the timing of your return is not specified beyond “back from work.” Adding precise, practical details would make the response more complete.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The information follows a generally sensible order: you begin with the visit and key arrangements, then give directions, and finish with plans for the evening. This gives the reader an overall structure, and phrases such as “then” help show sequence. However, the opening sentence is very long and combines several ideas, so the key information is difficult to follow. The directions would be easier to use if presented as distinct steps, and the evening plans could be separated into a clearer closing paragraph. Some links are mechanical or unclear, such as “then once your their then,” and the final sentence does not connect smoothly to the plans. Use shorter sentences and clearer references to improve progression.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some vocabulary relevant to the situation, including “neighbor,” “bus stop,” “junction,” and “favourite delicacies,” so the reader can understand the general message. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes makes the meaning less clear. For example, “coming to my side” is not a natural way to describe visiting, “relaxion park” appears to be an incorrect form, and “enter town” is an awkward collocation. The list “Movie, Club, relaxion park” also needs more precise wording. Aim for familiar but accurate expressions for travel, collecting keys, and evening activities, and check spelling and word forms before finishing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt to combine ideas using clauses, as in “I will not be around by the time you will arrive,” and you include some simple sentences to give directions. However, complex sentences are often faulty or difficult to follow, and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. For example, “I am very glad that as you are coming” has an awkward clause structure, while “make sure you told” uses an unsuitable verb form. In “once your their,” the possessive form is incorrect, and “we are go” is missing the appropriate verb form. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, particularly in the long opening sentence. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then join them with clear time clauses.
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