Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-03

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 or Madam,

I am writing this letter to inform you about the taking my course in thent term.

Currently, I am working two jobs to support my family financially. It would get hard for me to continue my studies at a present time. Although I believed it would be easy to manage with the evening schaduel it is a hard job to do.

I know studies play an essential part in our carrers; therefore, I will persue this course in the next semester. By doing so, it will be eassy for me to organize things and give a proper time to my studies.

I think this is a better solution to my problem, but if you have any other alternative soulton feel free to share. You have a more experience; therefore, I will appreciate your advice.

I am waiting for your prompt response

yours sincerely,

Arshdeep kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: it explains the situation (working two jobs), states the intention to defer, and asks for advice. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the overall task completion. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the opening sentence is slightly unclear regarding the specific course details. To improve, ensure you meet the word count requirement to allow for more detailed development of your ideas, which would help in achieving a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. The use of cohesive devices like 'therefore' and 'by doing so' is present, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The opening and closing salutations are appropriate for a formal letter. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the connection between sentences is smoother, as some parts feel slightly disjointed due to the brevity of the sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but there are several spelling errors such as 'thent' (next), 'schaduel' (schedule), 'carrers' (careers), 'persue' (pursue), 'eassy' (easy), and 'soulton' (solution). These errors are noticeable and detract from the professional tone of the letter. While the meaning remains clear, the frequency of these slips limits the score. To improve, focus on proofreading your work for common spelling mistakes and try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to academic or professional contexts.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the taking my course' (should be 'taking my course'), 'at a present time' (should be 'at the present time'), and 'You have a more experience' (should be 'You have more experience'). These errors do not prevent communication, but they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. To reach a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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