Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-17

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 Sara,

I hope you're doing well.

I'm writing this letter to inform you about my course experience which I took few years ago.

I was planning to join the University Of Toronto but I have opted for the University Of Ottwa which is located in the capital city of Canada. Which was my greatest decision ever as living expenses in Toronto was really high.

During my study I found people really nice not only my university colleagues but the students with whome I was sharing my accommodation was also wonderful. Please keep in mind to bring some winter cloths because in the North part it is really cold during winter.

Coming to the study, I must say i have really enjoyed my time over there because the classmet and the professor ws really helpful. I have never felt like I am leaving behind.

Let me know if you need any further help.

Kind regards,

Jennifer Rods

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the letter’s general purpose and give relevant information about studying at the University of Ottawa, living costs, people, winter weather, and helpful classmates and professors. However, the task is only partially covered: you do not clearly explain what you learnt about Canada beyond the cold climate and friendly people, and the benefit to your studies is not explained. The sentence “I have never felt like I am leaving behind” is unclear, so it is difficult to understand what you mean about your academic progress or experience. To strengthen the response, describe one or two specific things you learnt about Canadian culture or daily life, then explain how studying there improved your knowledge, skills, or university work.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, paragraphs about your university and experience, and a suitable closing. The information is generally relevant and the reader can follow the broad sequence. However, progression between ideas is sometimes abrupt: “Coming to the study” shifts to academic experience without explaining how it helped your studies, and the final paragraph does not clearly connect with the earlier details. The phrase “Which was my greatest decision ever” is also an incomplete sentence, interrupting the flow. Use clearer links between the country, social experience, and academic benefits, and make each paragraph focus on one part of the task. This would make the organisation more coherent and less dependent on simple transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main situation, including “living expenses,” “capital city,” “accommodation,” and “professor.” These choices are relevant, but the range is limited and some expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, which can make parts of the letter harder to understand. For example, “course experience which I took” is not a natural way to describe studying abroad, while “winter cloths” and “classmet” contain spelling errors. “I have never felt like I am leaving behind” is also an unclear expression. Aim for more precise phrases such as “my year abroad,” “winter clothing,” and “I never felt that I was falling behind.” Proofreading spelling and collocations would improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, and the overall message is usually understandable. However, control is uneven, particularly in longer constructions. “Which was my greatest decision ever” is a sentence fragment, and “I was planning to join … but I have opted” shifts awkwardly between past forms. There are also errors in agreement and sentence construction, as in “the classmet and the professor ws really helpful,” and the final phrase “I am leaving behind” lacks a clear grammatical object. Use complete sentences, keep past-tense forms consistent when recounting the year, and check subject–verb agreement. These changes would make your varied sentence attempts more accurate and easier to follow.

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