Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-07

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 to show interest in the advertised position of a house helper in your house for a couple of hours

Having been a nanny with over five years of experience in babysitting, cooking, and general house chores, i can be of greater help to you in your house. being able to discharge my duties effectively and effectively all these years gave me a high review from my former employers. I am so good in getting the house chores done, ranging from proper dusting, cleaning, and mopping of the house, and also taking good care of any material or equipment being handled over to me during my stay .

I will like to do this work due to the passion i have in cleaning services and rendering other services to peolpe. one of my driving force in this line of the work is the satisfaction and the happiness i get and see from my employers.

I am fully ready and available for the job any time i am being contacted, As we both live in the

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: suggesting how you can help, explaining your motivation, and mentioning availability. However, the response is incomplete as it ends abruptly mid-sentence ('As we both live in the'). This lack of closure significantly impacts the task completion. While the ideas are relevant, the development is hindered by the unfinished state of the letter. To improve, ensure you provide a complete, logical conclusion that addresses the final bullet point fully and includes a formal sign-off, which is essential for a letter format.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete final sentence. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Having been' and 'one of my driving force', but some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The use of 'and effectively and effectively' is a repetitive error that disrupts the flow. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph transitions smoothly into the next, leading to a complete and coherent conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'advertised position', 'discharge my duties', and 'rendering services'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'material or equipment being handled over to me' (should be 'handed over') and 'one of my driving force' (should be 'forces'). Additionally, there are minor spelling errors like 'peolpe'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure you proofread for basic spelling and word-form errors to enhance the professional tone of your letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the participial phrase 'Having been a nanny...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('one of my driving force'), incorrect capitalization of the personal pronoun 'i', and awkward phrasing. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. The abrupt ending of the final sentence makes it impossible to assess your ability to construct a complete, grammatically sound closing. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for capitalization and subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.

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

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