Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-16

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!

I beg to say that I have enrolled in an evening course. But I feel that I am too much swamped with work. I do 10 hours of working shift while at the time of admission I thought that i will manage it but due to work load Its very challenging for me to manage for study hours. also I m only daughter of my mother and now a days my mother facing health issues . after working hours I did home chores. Due to these fact my study effected too much . and i am not able to manage all of these things together.

In contrast I requested you please shift my admission to next term. if you will shift my course to next shift. Insha'Allah my mother will be fine. i can continue my studies conveniently.

If you give me this favor i will be very thankful to you for this kindful act .

Additionally I want to take advice from yours side that what advice that you give to manage my studies. and which things that i take to improve my studies. and how i can enhance my ability to do study. and I will be thankful for yours kindf

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all three bullet points of the task: explaining the situation, requesting a deferral, and asking for advice. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter, although the opening 'Dear sir!' is slightly informal. The ideas are relevant, but the development is somewhat repetitive, particularly regarding the reasons for leaving. While the task requirements are met, the explanation of the situation could be more concise to allow for more sophisticated development of the request for advice. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the reader is fully informed of the student's circumstances and requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'In contrast I requested you' and 'Due to these fact'. The transition between the explanation of the situation and the request for deferral is abrupt. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words beyond simple conjunctions. The paragraphing is present but could be more effectively used to separate the distinct parts of the request.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. There are several instances of non-standard word choices or awkward collocations, such as 'swamped with work', 'working shift', and 'kindful act'. The student relies on basic vocabulary to convey their meaning, and there are some errors in word formation (e.g., 'kindful' instead of 'kind'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary limits the score. To improve, the student should focus on learning more formal collocations and avoiding informal phrasing in a professional context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'my mother facing health issues'), article usage (e.g., 'at the time of admission'), and tense consistency. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of capital letters and sentence boundaries. While the meaning is usually understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents a higher score. The student should focus on proofreading for basic sentence construction and ensuring consistent verb tenses.

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