Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-04
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 5.0)
Dear parth,
I am really happy to hear that you are thinking to study abroad. I have finished my finance course recently from Auckland University.
It is your good decision to study abroad. It will give you lots of opportunity to learn new culture, languages, the way of teaching and friends from all over world. These will I have learn about how to survive alone in difficult situation are remain positive. I have learnt about manage time between study and work.
Currenty you are facing situation of decision taking because of family. you can studies abroad will help you to take all decisions by jurself. These will help you to manage financial situat as well as your expenses. You have to manage both situations.
I would look forward to your decision in positive aspects.
your regards,
Jignesh chada
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses all three bullet points, but the development of ideas is limited and the letter is under the minimum word count requirement. You mention studying at Auckland University, describe the benefits of studying abroad, and explain how it helped your studies. However, the explanation of what you learned about the country itself is quite vague, focusing more on general personal development than specific cultural or national insights. Furthermore, the letter is 12 words short of the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the overall task completion. To improve, ensure you expand on each point with more specific details and examples to meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression between sentences is sometimes weak. For example, the transition between discussing the finance course and the benefits of studying abroad is abrupt. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'These will...'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'These will I have learn about how to survive alone', where the pronoun usage is confusing. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would significantly enhance the flow and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic level of communication but lacks the range and precision expected for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'finance course recently from Auckland University' instead of 'at Auckland University' and 'facing situation of decision taking'. Spelling errors like 'Currenty', 'jurself', and 'situat' also occur, which can distract the reader. To improve, focus on learning common collocations and using more precise vocabulary related to academic and personal experiences. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and verbs will help you express your ideas more naturally and effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are some attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as 'you can studies abroad will help you' and 'These will I have learn'. Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are frequent issues throughout the text. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of capital letters at the start of sentences. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over a wider variety of grammatical structures and reduce the frequency of basic errors that occasionally impede the clarity of your message.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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