Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-06
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 Sussy,
Based on your questions about my experience during my past one year of study in abroad, i suppose it is a good move with additional advantage to your course of study.
During my one year course of study abroad, I studied law in the Cambridge University in England. I choose England because based on my own enqury then, England has the standard ground i need for my course of study. Their terms and study fixtures was palatable for a comfortable time table.
My one year studies in England clarifies the gap between our law here in our country with that of theirs. Their authomospher gives room for good studies while their class fixtures paves way for adequate research and concentration. This will equally give you more space for part time work should incase you are willing to.
My studied abroad was so helpfull because it gives more insight on my course of study. I am certain that it will equally be off helpfull to you.
Feel free to reach out to me should in case you need my assistant for more enquires.
Yours Sincerly
Ify
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the main parts of the task by mentioning where you studied, describing aspects of the country, and explaining the benefits for your studies. However, some ideas remain under-developed or slightly unclear. For instance, the mention that 'England has the standard ground i need' lacks specific detail about the academic environment. Similarly, the explanation of what was learnt about the country is somewhat general, focusing broadly on the atmosphere rather than cultural or societal insights. While the purpose of writing to your friend's sister is generally fulfilled, the development of these points stops short of a fully rounded discussion, keeping the content at a partial level of coverage.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows an appropriate layout for a semi-formal letter, beginning with a clear salutation and closing with a sign-off. Information is divided into distinct paragraphs, which helps structure the response around the prompts. However, cohesion at the sentence level is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the recurring use of 'my one year studies' and 'course of study'. Referencing and logical progression between sentences occasionally feel abrupt, meaning the flow is not entirely smooth from start to finish, yet the overall message remains understandable.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
Vocabulary usage is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less common terms and subject-related vocabulary such as 'fixtures', 'palatable', and 'authomospher', but these instances contain noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and form. For example, 'authomospher' contains a spelling error, and terms like 'fixtures' are used in a collocation that sounds unnatural in this context. These lexical inaccuracies and occasional awkward phrasings cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the vocabulary range from appearing flexible or precise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text displays a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences alongside a few attempts at complex forms that are often faulty. There are frequent errors in agreement, prepositions, and verb tenses, such as 'study in abroad' instead of 'studying abroad', 'I choose England' when past tense is needed, and 'study fixtures was palatable' where subject-verb agreement is incorrect. Additionally, phrases like 'should incase' and 'off helpfull' reveal persistent grammatical and mechanical issues that can cause strain for the reader, characteristic of a restricted grammatical repertoire.
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