Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Mrs Barrett, an English-speaking woman who lives in your town, has advertised for someone to help her in her home for a few hours a day next summer.

Write a letter to Mrs Barrett. In your letter

• suggest how you could help her in her home
• say why you would like to do this work
• explain when you will and will not be available

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Mrs Barrett,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Mrs Barrett,

I am writing in regards to the advert fro someone to help you with some works in your home this summer. I will like to be of help to you.

I could help you in shopping and restocking the house. I think i can be of help in that aspect because I am well experience in shopping for the house, I learnt that while i was leaving with my grandma. She always take me along with her to the supermarket for groceries. I could also with cleaning the house too.

I will like to the this work because I am free this summer and will like to use this opportunity to keep myself busy for some few hours before go back to school.

I have already schedule how my summer will look like. I will be available for two weeks from today then from the third week , i will not be available. Look

Thanks for your consideration.

Yours Faithful

Lynda

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: suggesting how you can help, explaining your motivation, and detailing your availability. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to an acquaintance. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, your explanation of availability is quite vague; stating you are available for 'two weeks from today' is not very helpful for someone planning their summer schedule. To improve, try to provide more specific dates or a clearer structure for your availability. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader understands your intent, which satisfies the requirements for a Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'I could also', 'I will like to', and 'I have already'. While the progression of ideas is clear, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. The use of referencing is generally accurate, though the final sentence 'Look' appears to be a stray word that disrupts the coherence of the closing. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph transitions smoothly into the next would help elevate your score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific language like 'restocking', 'groceries', and 'supermarket'. However, there are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'advert fro' (advert for), 'well experience' (well-experienced), and 'leaving with' (living with). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the range of vocabulary displayed. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring correct spelling of common words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'I will like to be of help' (I would like), 'She always take me' (She always took/takes), and 'I have already schedule' (I have already scheduled). Additionally, there are punctuation and capitalization issues, such as the lowercase 'i' used throughout. While these errors are noticeable, they rarely prevent the reader from understanding your meaning. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, and basic sentence mechanics.

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

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