Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear friend,

I hope you are doing well. I am really happy to hear that you are thinking about your study in abroad. I will share my experience so you will get clarity. I move to the Vancouver in Canada from India. I took Associates of Arts course. In this course, tutors will teach you about buisness means how to start your own buisness. My study completed in 2 years and those 2 years was my best years. I learned a lot of things like household chores. When we are at abroad we have to do all things alone. We donot have parents with ourselves so it make us independent. Studying in abroad was very rateful because there is many oppurutnities. Either you want to open your own buisness than you can open it by your hard work or want to work under company you can get job by showing your qualification.

Let me know what you think.

Best wishes,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You give relevant information about studying in Vancouver, Canada, and explain that living away from your parents helped you become independent. You also mention possible business and employment opportunities. However, the task is only partly addressed: the country is not described in much detail, and the explanation of how the year abroad helped your university studies is unclear. The statement that tutors teach how to start a business describes your course, rather than what you learnt about Canada. Develop these points with specific examples, such as a cultural difference you noticed and a skill or perspective that improved your academic work. A more personal opening and a clear sign-off addressed to your friend’s sister would also make the letter better suited to its purpose.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you introduce your experience, describe your course and independence, and finish by inviting a reply. Basic linking phrases such as “because” and “so” help connect some ideas. However, most information is placed in one long paragraph, and the progression between studying business, doing household chores, and career opportunities is not always clear. Some connections are repetitive or awkward, particularly the repeated use of “or” when discussing future options. Organise the letter into separate paragraphs for your location and course, what you learnt about the country, and the academic benefits. Use clearer transitions and refer directly to the sister throughout so the reader can follow the purpose of each point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough everyday vocabulary to communicate the main experience, including “household chores,” “independent,” “qualification,” and “opportunities.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning less clear. For example, “study in abroad” and “I move to the Vancouver” are not natural expressions, while “get clarity” is vague in this context. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “buisness,” “donot,” and “oppurutnities.” Aim for more precise language about your experience and studies, and check spelling carefully. More natural phrases such as “study abroad,” “I moved to Vancouver,” and “gain a clearer idea” would make the letter easier to read.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You communicate using mostly simple sentences and make some attempts to join ideas, for example, “When we are at abroad we have to do all things alone.” However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and frequent errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and prepositions can make the reader pause. Examples include “I move to the Vancouver,” “those 2 years was,” and “it make us independent.” The sentence beginning “Either you want to open your own business…” is also difficult to follow because its structure is incomplete and the alternatives are not clearly matched. Practise accurate past-tense forms when describing your completed year, and build longer sentences with clear clauses. Check subject–verb agreement and article use when editing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.