Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-27

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 Simran,

Hi, how'r you? It was great to hear from you, and I'm glad you got in touch. I am aware that you are interested in studying abroad to complete your university course. I am writing this letter to share my experience for the same.

I have completed my 2 year diploma from Canadian university in the field of Arts. This was a hybrid program as it was during covid time where only practicals were held in person and the rest of classes were online.

Furthermore, talking about Canada in terms of what i have learned so far, it is a great country to pursue yorr studies. I learned alot abou6t myself and gained differnet skills. Studying abroad makes you indpendent and familiar with lifetime challenges and how to resolve them.

Eventhough I went during covid time, my year in Canada was helpful for my studies as i had plenty of time to work on side which helped me to manage my own expense. Make sure you ahve your resume ready before going as it will save your time after and help you to get job early. If you are intersted in the same program that i studied, i can help you with choosing the right instructor and provide study material in advance.

Anyway, thats all for now. Take care and right back if you ahve more questions.

Best wishes,

Sanjna

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address all three requested points: you identify Canada as the country, mention learning independence and how to handle challenges, and explain that working alongside your studies helped you manage expenses. The advice about preparing a résumé and your offer to share study materials also suit the friendly letter. However, the first point is not fully clear: “I have completed my 2 year diploma from Canadian university” does not name the university or clearly explain where you studied during the year abroad. Your description of what you learnt about Canada is also quite general and focuses more on personal skills than on the country itself. Add a specific detail about Canadian life or education, and explain more directly how the experience supported your academic progress.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: an opening, separate sections for your experience and advice, and a suitable closing. The reader can follow the main ideas, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “Anyway” help signal movement between points. Some connections are less smooth or precise, however. “Furthermore, talking about Canada in terms of what i have learned so far” is cumbersome, while the shift from learning about Canada to personal independence is not clearly signposted. The paragraph about working and managing expenses also moves quickly into résumé advice. Use simpler transitions and make each paragraph focus on one purpose—for example, location and study format, cultural learning, then academic benefits and advice.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main message, including relevant terms such as “hybrid program,” “practicals,” “independent,” and “instructor.” The informal tone is generally appropriate for writing to a friend’s sister. However, the range is limited in places, and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear: “share my experience for the same,” “work on side,” and “get job early” do not sound natural. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “yorr,” “alot,” “differnet,” and “intersted,” which reduce the impression of control. Aim for more precise phrases such as “share my experience,” “work part-time,” and “find a job sooner,” and proofread carefully for spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and longer sentence forms, and most of the message remains understandable. For example, “Even though I went during covid time, my year in Canada was helpful for my studies” attempts a subordinate clause effectively. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with articles, tense, and sentence construction. “I have completed my 2 year diploma from Canadian university” needs clearer article use and phrasing, while “I learned alot about myself and gained differnet skills” shifts inconsistently from the surrounding present-perfect wording. Capitalisation and punctuation are also uneven, as in lowercase “i” and the run-on feel of “Anyway, thats all for now. Take care and right back.” Use complete, carefully punctuated sentences and check articles and tense consistency.

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