Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-22

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 younger sister,

I hope you are doing well. It's been a while since we last talked.

I am writing to tell you about studyding abroad experiences. I thought you might be interested study abroad because you know how different cultures background looks like.

To begin with, I was studied in Master of Data Analytics with hands-on internship experience. Also, I would like to mention that abroad countries are provided more practical experiences whereas our countries are more focused on theoritical terms and courses. I was really excited when I start my firest job in this country because I am working that kind of culture where everybody comes from different background and knowledge.

In addition, I was studies in Canada. I really like to mention that it is very beautiful place and covered with lots of natural resources and lake views. I have learnt one thing from this country that communication is very crucial when you working with different peoples. It would be great if you could study abroad and gain some different backgrounds experiences. It is really helpful for your future progress.

Anyway, I hope everything is going well with you. Please let me know what you think. I hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,

Janvi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the main points by naming Canada, describing its natural scenery and multicultural working environment, and explaining that practical experience and communication skills helped your future progress. These details make the letter relevant and give the reader some useful insight. However, the study location is not clearly explained until later, and the description of what you learnt about Canada is quite general. The link between the year abroad and your university studies also needs clearer development: you mention an internship and practical learning, but do not explain specifically how these supported your course. Develop each point with a concrete example, such as a skill or subject you applied in your studies.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, body paragraphs and a friendly closing. Phrases such as “To begin with” and “In addition” help signal the sequence of ideas, and the tone is appropriate for writing to someone you know. However, the progression is not always clear: the first body paragraph discusses your course and work culture, while the next introduces Canada and what you learnt there, so the relationship between these points is somewhat loose. Some linking phrases feel mechanical, and “I really like to mention” does not connect ideas naturally. Organise the body around the three requested points and use clear references to show how each experience relates to your studies.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including terms such as “hands-on internship experience,” “practical experiences,” “theoretical” and “communication.” These choices show an attempt to discuss study and cultural learning rather than relying only on very basic language. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which sometimes makes the message less clear: “different cultures background,” “natural resources and lake views,” and “different backgrounds experiences” are examples. There are also spelling errors, including “studyding,” “theoritical” and “firest.” Aim for precise, natural phrases such as “cultural backgrounds,” “scenic lakes,” and “valuable cross-cultural experience,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the reader can generally follow your main message. However, verb forms and sentence patterns are often inaccurate, which limits clarity. For example, “I was studied” should be “I studied,” “I was studies” should be “I studied,” and “when I start my firest job” needs a consistent past tense, such as “when I started my first job.” There are also errors in clause construction, as in “because you know how different cultures background looks like” and “when you working with different peoples.” Practise forming accurate past-tense sentences and subordinate clauses, and check subject–verb agreement and articles before submitting.

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