Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-31

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

It is ten years since you left college. You'd like to organise an event to celebrate this anniversary with all your friends and classmates from college.

Write a letter to one of your college friends. In your letter

• say what kind of celebration event you'd like to organise

• explain why you think it would be good to celebrate in this way

• describe what help you need to organise this event

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ....................................,

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Dear Smith,

I hope you are doing fine. I'm writing to set up an event to celebrate ten years anniversary since we left our college. All of our friends and classmates from our batch will be invited tio this event.

So I'm thinking to organize the event in a nearby restaurant to our college and invite everyone for dinner. It will be convienent for everyone as most of the people live in the area and are familiar with the place as well.

Do you remember we use to go to ABC restaurant alot back in college days?

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the occasion, propose dinner at a nearby restaurant, and give a relevant reason: it is convenient because many classmates live nearby and know the place. However, the response is incomplete: it does not explain what help you need from your friend, and the brief question about ABC restaurant does not develop the celebration plan. The response is also well below the required 150 words, leaving too little space to address and explain all three bullet points. To improve, clearly ask your friend to help with specific tasks, such as contacting classmates or booking a table, and add details about the event and why it would be enjoyable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas are presented in a generally understandable order: you introduce the anniversary, suggest a venue, and explain its convenience. Paragraph breaks also separate the opening from the main suggestion. However, the letter stops before it develops a complete progression, and the question about ABC restaurant is left disconnected from a clear next step. The opening phrase “So I'm thinking” links the suggestion to the introduction, but there is little further use of referencing or linking to guide the reader. Develop the plan in a fuller sequence—for example, explain the event, give the reason, then ask for help—and finish with an appropriate closing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough everyday vocabulary to communicate the basic plan, including “celebrate,” “nearby restaurant,” “convenient,” and “familiar with the place.” These choices are relevant and the main meaning is clear. However, the range is limited, with repeated general terms such as “event” and “everyone,” and some spelling errors reduce accuracy: “tio,” “convienent,” and “alot.” The phrase “ten years anniversary” is also not a natural collocation. Aim for more precise expressions suited to organising a reunion, such as “class reunion,” “reserve a table,” or “get in touch with our classmates,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

Your response includes mostly clear simple sentences and an attempt at a longer sentence explaining why the restaurant is suitable. The reader can understand the intended meaning, but there are errors in verb forms and sentence construction. For example, “I'm thinking to organize” would be more naturally formed as “I'm thinking of organising,” and “we use to go” should be “we used to go.” The opening “It is ten years anniversary since we left” also needs a clearer grammatical structure, such as “It has been ten years since we left college.” Use a wider mix of accurate sentence patterns, and proofread tense and verb-form choices.

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