Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-25

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 Sharon,

I hope this letter finds you well. I was recently contacted by your sister who asked me to write you a letter to about my experience of studying abroad. I moved to abroad in 2023 for persuade my major in masters of technology. I got admission in Oxford university London. I studied there for two years.

Now, I want to share you about my journey of studying abroad. The country is beautiful in itself and it is the capital of England. London is a multicultural country which helped me to broaden my cultural understanding. I gained knowledge of country's history and tradition and encountered with a completely different education system. I

Studying overseas was an exciting opportunity for me. I was able to immerse myself in a new culture and learn its customs. It gave me opportunity to improve my communication skills and helped me become more independence. As well as that, learned to manage my finances which is definitely worth skill for me. On top of that, I made many international friends who helped with my presentation and projects.

I am happy about your decision and I will forward to hear about your experience as well

Yours faithfully,

Sonia

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you identify Oxford as your place of study, mention learning about London’s multicultural character, history, traditions and education system, and explain benefits such as improved communication and support with presentations and projects. However, some details are unclear or incomplete. “I studied there for two years” conflicts with the task’s one-year exchange, and “it is the capital of England” does not clearly explain what you learned about the country. The study-related benefit is also only briefly stated. Develop this by explaining, for example, how the different teaching system or international projects strengthened your subject knowledge. The letter is relevant overall, but these inconsistencies and limited development keep the response from covering every point fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, paragraphs about the destination and experience, and a closing. Sequencing is generally understandable, and phrases such as “On top of that” help connect additional benefits. However, progression is uneven: the first paragraph combines the reason for writing, the course, the university and the duration, while the next paragraph shifts between the country and personal learning. The standalone “I” interrupts the flow, and the final sentence is incomplete in meaning. Some links are also awkward, such as “Now, I want to share you about my journey.” Organise the body into clear paragraphs for location, cultural learning and academic benefits, and use references and transitions that make the relationship between ideas explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main experience, including “multicultural,” “broaden my cultural understanding,” “immerse myself” and “manage my finances.” These choices show attempts to express ideas beyond basic description. However, several word combinations and forms are inaccurate or unnatural, including “moved to abroad,” “persuade my major,” “share you about,” and “worth skill.” “The country is beautiful in itself” is also vague for describing what you learned. Such choices sometimes make the reader pause to interpret your meaning. Aim for more precise, natural collocations and check whether a verb or noun fits the intended meaning; for example, describe what you studied and how the experience contributed to your academic development.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentences, including “I was able to immerse myself in a new culture and learn its customs” and a sentence linking improved communication with greater independence. The main message is usually understandable, but errors occur across verb forms, articles, prepositions and sentence construction. Examples include “I was recently contacted … who asked me to write you a letter to about my experience,” “I moved to abroad in 2023,” and “As well as that, learned to manage my finances,” where the subject is missing. The closing, “I will forward to hear,” also has an incorrect verb pattern. Review sentence completeness and common patterns such as “look forward to hearing,” and proofread for articles and prepositions. More accurate control of these structures would make your ideas easier to follow.

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

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