Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-13
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The younger sister of one of your friends is thinking about spending a year studying abroad as part of her university course. You did this recently, and she has asked you about your experience.
Write a letter to your friend's sister. In your letter
tell her where you studied during your year abroad
describe what you learnt about the country you studied in
explain why your year abroad was helpful for your studies
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear........,
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Dear Anna,
How are you doing? hope all is going smoothly. I'm glad to give you details about my experience while studying abroad.
I studied Entrepreneurship at Cambridge university in Uk. Initially, I had planned on studying a different course at Oxford university but unfortunately, I wasn't offered admission therefore, I reapplied for Cambridge and was granted admission.
Going to UK was actually a blessing in disguise as I had the opportunity to meet new people, make new friends and I was able to learn to use british accent.
Lastly,The one year I studied in London was filled with alot of beneficial and amazing life experiences. Studying abroad really improved my communication skills and also got me a very good Job over there.
I look forward to hearing from you . Greet Joseph for me.
Best wishes,
Destiny
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You use an appropriate friendly letter format and identify Cambridge as the place where you studied, while also explaining that the year improved your communication skills and helped you obtain a job. However, the task asks what you learnt about the country, and “meet new people” and “learn to use british accent” give only limited, unclear information about this. The reason the experience helped your studies is also underdeveloped: getting a job is a benefit, but you do not explain how the year supported your university learning or course. The response is also below the required 150 words. Add specific details about British culture or daily life and connect your improved communication skills to your academic work to address the task more fully.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The letter has a clear overall sequence: you introduce your experience, describe your university choice, mention what you gained, and close with a friendly sign-off. Paragraphing helps separate these points, and the reader can follow the main message. Some links are less effective, however. “Lastly” introduces a point that does not clearly conclude the previous paragraph, and the shift from studying in Cambridge to studying in London is unexplained, which makes the location reference confusing. The letter would progress more smoothly if each paragraph addressed one of the requested points and transitions showed how the ideas relate. Check spacing after punctuation as well, since “Lastly,The” and “you .” interrupt the presentation.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a personal letter, including phrases such as “blessing in disguise,” “beneficial,” and “communication skills.” These help convey a positive experience, and your meaning is generally clear. Some choices are imprecise or informal for the ideas you want to express: “learn to use british accent” is unclear, while “alot of beneficial and amazing life experiences” is vague and repetitive. “Got me a very good Job” could also be expressed more precisely. Use specific vocabulary to describe what you observed about the country and how your academic skills developed. Pay attention to standard spelling and capitalisation, including “British,” “UK,” and “a lot.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple sentences and longer structures, including the sentence beginning “Initially, I had planned on studying…” and the clause “but unfortunately, I wasn’t offered admission.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical and punctuation errors reduce accuracy. The opening “hope all is going smoothly” needs a subject (“I hope”), and “I studied Entrepreneurship at Cambridge university in Uk” needs more accurate article and place-name construction. In “Going to UK was actually a blessing,” use “the UK.” Capital letters and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in “Lastly,The” and the space before the full stop in “you .” Aim to proofread these details and use a wider range of accurately controlled sentence patterns.
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