Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-14
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
A restaurant has placed an advertisement for waiters and waitresses in your local newspaper. Write a letter to the restaurant, applying for the job. In the letter
- explain what you are currently doing
- describe your suitability for this area of work
- say when you can attend an interview.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
This is a letter rigarding job application i saw job search through my local news paper and i whould like to apply for the waiters job. I am currently jobless and like to work in restaurants to gain some experience.
I want to work in a restaurant as waitres because i am really passionate about food and like to serve. and in the near future i whould like to open my own restaurant and im really hard working person so i will learn the things that i dont know and serve people with my whole heart. working in a restaurant will bring me one step closer to my dreams. so i believe I will be the best employee in this work.
I will be waiting for your response. and I will be free next week for in person interview so i will be attending interview next week next Tuesday if the interviewer is available on Tuesday. thanks for the time you have taken to read my interview. can not wait to work there.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: current status, suitability, and interview availability. However, the development of ideas is somewhat simplistic. While you mention your passion for food and your goal of opening a restaurant, the explanation of your suitability could be more professional. The tone is occasionally informal (e.g., 'jobless'), which is not ideal for a formal job application letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that your reasons for suitability are more clearly linked to the specific requirements of a waiter role, such as customer service skills or reliability, rather than just personal ambition.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organised into three distinct paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the frequent use of 'and' to connect clauses makes the sentences feel repetitive. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words or transition phrases to connect your ideas smoothly. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive devices to show the relationship between your current situation and your future goals.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You rely on common words like 'jobless', 'work', and 'good'. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'rigarding', 'whould', and 'waitres', which detract from the professional quality of the letter. To improve, you should aim to use more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to the hospitality industry. For instance, instead of saying 'serve people with my whole heart', you could use more professional collocations that demonstrate your commitment to customer service and professional standards.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in local news paper'), incorrect verb forms, and punctuation errors, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters and improper use of periods. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are frequent enough to cause some distraction. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and ensuring that your punctuation follows standard formal English rules.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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