Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-31
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 am writing this letter to inform you that due to my hectic schedule I am unable to attend this evening course .
The first and foremost reason is that I am doing morning and evening shifts for meeting my necessity needs. Furthermore, my family is not here for supporting me financially as well as I have a lots of expenses like rent, groceries, bus charges and so on.
Even before joining this evening classes I talked with my supervisor for adjusting my shifts into overnight or early morning because after that then I can easily attend evening batch but unfortunately, she declined my reason because she has lack of employees for working and I’m for from more than two years so i who handle everything properly.
For solving this problem I have solve that issue is it possible for you can you please extend my evening classes that I really appreciate you.
I look forward to hearing fr you soon.
Your faithful
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining your situation, stating your desired outcome, and asking for advice. However, the development of these points is somewhat hampered by unclear phrasing. For instance, your explanation of the work situation is difficult to follow, particularly the sentence regarding your supervisor's refusal. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the lack of precision in your explanation makes it harder for the reader to fully grasp the context of your request. To improve, ensure that your explanations are logically structured and clearly articulated so that the reader does not have to guess your meaning.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression of ideas is often interrupted by awkward sentence structures and grammatical errors. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'For solving this problem', the transitions between sentences are sometimes mechanical or confusing. For example, the sentence 'For solving this problem I have solve that issue is it possible for you...' is disjointed and lacks clear signposting. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus will help you achieve a higher band score in this criterion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite limited and repetitive. You use phrases like 'hectic schedule' and 'financially', which are appropriate, but there are several instances of awkward word choice and non-standard collocations, such as 'necessity needs' and 'bus charges'. Additionally, there are errors in word form, such as 'I’m for from more than two years', which impede the clarity of your message. To improve, focus on learning common collocations and using more precise vocabulary to describe your work and financial situation, rather than relying on basic or incorrectly formed phrases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter that occasionally make the meaning difficult to discern. You struggle with sentence structure, particularly in complex sentences where clauses are incorrectly linked, such as '...after that then I can easily attend evening batch but unfortunately, she declined my reason because she has lack of employees'. There are also issues with verb tense consistency and missing articles. While you attempt to use a mix of sentence structures, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar limits your score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct sentence construction will significantly improve your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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