Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-02
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
You have enrolled in an evening course but you have found that you are too busy to continue and would like to take the course next term instead.
explain the situation and why you cannot continue the course
say what you would like to do about your studies
ask for advice about what you can do about the situation
Student answer (Band 5.5)
DEAR SIR/MADAM
MY NAME IS DHRUV AND MY STUDENT ID IS [redacted phone]. I AM IN MY SECOND LAST TERM, I THINK THAT I WONT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS EVENING COURSE BACTCH BEACUSE I AM MY SISTER IS PRANGNENT AND SHE NEEDS ME ALTHOUGH I AM THE ONLY ONE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF HERE AND SHE NEEDS ME THATS WHY I CANNOT CONTINUE THIS COURSE. I WILL COUNTINU MY STUDIES NEXT TERM AS I ALREADY TOLD YOU MY SITUATION, I'LL WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH MY FRIENDS WITH THE NOTES AND ALL. I WOULD BE HAPPY IF YOU GIVE SOME ADVISE REGARDING THIS SITUTAION WHICH WILL HELP ME.
IT WILL BE GOOD IF YOU GIVE SOME SORT OF ADVISE FOR THIS.
YOURS SINCERLEY
DHRUV KUMAR
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all three bullet points: explaining the situation, stating the intention to defer, and asking for advice. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation regarding the family situation is repetitive and lacks the necessary detail to fully develop the response. Because the length requirement was not met, the task is only partially addressed in terms of depth and required word count, limiting the score to a 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is structured with a salutation and sign-off, but the body lacks clear paragraphing. The flow of ideas is somewhat disjointed, and the use of cohesive devices is minimal. For example, the transition between the explanation of the situation and the request for advice is abrupt. The use of 'that's why' and 'as I already told you' is quite informal and repetitive. To improve, you should use more varied linking words and ensure each main point is contained within its own paragraph to improve the overall logical progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. There are several spelling errors, such as 'BACTCH' (batch), 'BEACUSE' (because), 'PRANGNENT' (pregnant), 'COUNTINU' (continue), 'ADVISE' (advice - used as a noun, should be 'advice'), and 'SITUTAION' (situation). These errors are frequent and occasionally make the text difficult to read. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the range of vocabulary is limited to very simple, everyday language. You need to focus on accurate spelling and expanding your range of vocabulary to include more formal expressions suitable for a letter to an institution.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('I am my sister is pregnant') and tense usage. The sentence structure is largely simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also problematic, with the entire letter written in capital letters, which is inappropriate for formal correspondence. There are also errors in word order and redundant phrasing, such as 'I'll will be'. To improve, you must focus on basic sentence construction, correct verb forms, and standard capitalization rules.
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