Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-05
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 Vanisha,
Long time no see! I hope you're doing well. I am happy that you are going to the Canada for your higher studies and I am writing this letter to describe my all experience.
If I talk about my university then it was The Brock University, which is located in NiagaraFalls, Canada. I chose Master of business administration cource which is very famous and usefull course from this university.The campus was very huge and there are various kinds of courses available like Data analytics, Accounting, Master in arts and media etc.
I landed in 2023 at international airport of Torronto,Canada. After that the big change was taken in my life. I Faced different kinds of problems during that time and I also learned that how to tackle with this situation. I knew more about the culture of this country and other countires as well.
That time was so greatful for me not only because of my study and other things but I understood that how to deal with new people, how to communicate with them, how to build network in new country. These thigs will help me a lot in my future growth.
I know you will catch these all things. See you soon. Best of luck for your future.
Your Lovely,
Umang
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by mentioning where you studied, describing what was learned about the country, and explaining the benefits for your studies. However, the development of these ideas remains somewhat limited and partial. For instance, when describing what you learned about Canada, you mention facing problems and understanding the culture, but these points are under-developed rather than fully extended. Similarly, the explanation of how the year helped your studies is kept relatively general, such as stating that the time was 'greatful' and helped with future growth. To move to a higher band, the ideas need to be extended with more specific details, vivid examples, and thorough explanations regarding your academic and cultural experiences.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The letter has some clear organisation, beginning with an appropriate opening greeting and ending with a sign-off, and the paragraphs separate different aspects of your experience, such as the university details, arrival, and personal growth. However, there is no clear overall progression between all sections, and the use of cohesive devices is sometimes faulty, mechanical, or repetitive. For example, the transitional phrases used to connect ideas, such as 'If I talk about my university then it was' and 'After that the big change was taken', feel repetitive and unnatural. To improve cohesion, you should employ a wider variety of referencing words and more natural transition markers to link your ideas smoothly without relying on repetitive formulas.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to communicate the basic message of the letter. There are noticeable lexical errors, such as incorrect prepositions and word forms, including 'to the Canada' instead of 'to Canada', 'all experience' instead of 'entire experience', 'cource' (spelling error), 'usefull' (spelling error), 'Master of business administration' (capitalisation and article errors), and 'greatful' instead of 'grateful'. You also use phrases like 'take the big change' rather than 'undergo a big change'. These noticeable errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher score, you need to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary, use less common items with greater precision, and eliminate basic spelling and word choice inaccuracies.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
Your writing displays a limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside some basic attempts at complex sentences which are often faulty. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that can cause difficulty for the reader. Notable issues include awkward verb forms and voice, such as 'the big change was taken in my life' (passive voice misuse), incorrect prepositions like 'at international airport of Torronto', and missing articles such as 'in new country'. Furthermore, relative clauses and conditional-style openings like 'If I talk about' show restricted control over complex patterns. To reach a higher band, you must produce a more varied mix of structures with frequent error-free sentences and tighter control over articles, prepositions, and verb tenses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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