Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-10-01
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,
I am writing this letter to tell you about my current situation that it is very hard for me to continue my semester this year and I would really be grateful if you help me defer my semester if possible. I am an international student and I had to go back to my home country because I have some family issues and it is very important for me to go back but I do know that if I miss my studies for too long, I won't be be able to understand anything when I will come back. Please advice me according to your experience what I can do about this situation. Moreover, I know that my semester is all in-person but if you can help me get first month online then I can gladly join the classes online even when I am in my home country. I would be really grateful to you for this act of kindness.
Yours Sincerely,
ABC
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the main components of the prompt, such as explaining the situation of having to return to your home country due to family issues and asking for advice regarding the studies. However, some parts are handled superficially or are partially confused. For instance, the prompt specifically mentions an evening course that you wish to take next term instead, but the text shifts to discussing a semester, being an international student, and asking about attending the first month online. This creates some inconsistency in how the scenario is presented, leading to under-developed ideas. To reach a higher level, all aspects of the prompt must be fully addressed with a consistent, clear scenario from beginning to end.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows a standard semi-formal letter format with an appropriate salutation and sign-off. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical and relies heavily on a continuous stream of clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions like 'and' and 'but', particularly in sentences such as 'Moreover, I know that my semester is all in-person but if you can help me get first month online then I can gladly join...'. Paragraphing is also lacking, as the entire body of the letter is compressed into a single block of text rather than being divided logically. Implementing clearer paragraph breaks for different points, such as separating the explanation from the requests for advice and alternative arrangements, would significantly improve the logical progression.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
An adequate range of vocabulary is deployed to communicate the message effectively, including everyday phrases such as 'international student', 'family issues', and 'act of kindness'. There are attempts to use less common expressions, though some word choices and collocations show slight inaccuracies, such as writing 'Please advice me' instead of the correct verb form 'Please advise me'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede overall communication. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate a wider variety of precise academic or formal phrasing suited to a formal request letter, avoiding repetitive conversational connectors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating dependent clauses such as 'when I will come back' and 'if you can help me'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures present, including a redundancy in the opening sentence ('current situation that it is very hard') and a double modal error ('won't be be able'). Additionally, future tense is used incorrectly after time clauses, as seen in 'when I will come back' instead of the present simple 'when I come back'. Punctuation is also weak, relying on extremely long, run-on sentences without intermediate full stops or commas. Reducing error frequency and controlling complex structures more precisely would elevate the grammar.
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