Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20

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 5.0)

dear Mrs Barrett,

i beg to say that, it comes in my knowledge that you advertised for someone to help you in household work for some hours a day in coming summer. i am interested to assist to you as you lives in my town.so, i communicate easily as well as i need money so its best way to earn some amount.

furthermore, i help you domestic chores like in cleaning by washing cloths , mop ,brooming the floor ,if i talk about kitchen i help in cooking as at my home i cook for my family since 2 years. so i had a experience in cooking .so you don't need to worry.

lastly, i would say i am available Monday to Sunday from 7:00 to 11:00 am . if it suits you i would like to work .

your faithfully,

Manpreet kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: suggesting help, explaining the motivation, and stating availability. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the score. The development of ideas is somewhat limited; for instance, the explanation of why you want the work is quite brief and focuses primarily on money. To improve, you should expand on your skills and provide more detail regarding your motivation to help Mrs Barrett. The tone is also slightly inconsistent for a formal letter, as some phrasing is overly simplistic or grammatically awkward, which affects the overall professional presentation required for this task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. For example, the transition 'if i talk about kitchen' is unnatural, and the overuse of 'so' as a connector makes the flow repetitive. Paragraphing is present but could be more effectively used to separate the different requirements of the task. The referencing is generally clear, but the lack of sophisticated linking words limits the flow of ideas. Improving the variety of transition signals would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which restricts your ability to express ideas with precision. You rely on simple verbs like 'help' and 'cook' throughout the text. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'brooming the floor' (sweeping) and 'washing cloths' (clothes). While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited to common, everyday words. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more specific, topic-related vocabulary, such as 'household management,' 'domestic assistance,' or 'culinary skills,' and ensure correct spelling of common terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('as you lives'), article usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple or contain run-on structures that lack proper punctuation. For example, 'i beg to say that, it comes in my knowledge' is grammatically incorrect and unnatural. While the meaning is usually understandable, the frequency of errors is high, and there is a lack of complex sentence structures. Focusing on basic sentence construction, correct verb tenses, and proper punctuation will help improve your accuracy and clarity.

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

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