Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-19

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 Bennet,

I am writing this letter based on the advertisement looking for househelp. I would like to bring into your notice that I would be happy to offer you the help. I have been looking for a part-time job inorder to pay for my tuition fees for college. My only request is to consider the timings of my classes which would be from 8 AM to 1 PM, afterward I would be available to work till 6 PM. If this arrangement is okay with you, please do write back for confirmation. I am looking forward to hear from you.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify your interest in the work and explain that you need a part-time job to pay your college tuition. You also give your class hours and say you could work until 6 p.m., so the reader receives some relevant information about your availability. However, the response does not meet the 150-word minimum and addresses the task only minimally: it does not suggest any specific household duties, and it does not say when you would be unavailable beyond your class schedule. The opening also names “Mrs Bennet” rather than the requested “Mrs Barrett.” Develop each bullet point with practical details—for example, chores you can do and any days or dates you cannot work.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas follow a generally understandable order: you refer to the advertisement, explain your reason for applying, give your class schedule, and request a reply. This provides a basic progression, and the reader can follow your main message. However, the letter is presented as one short paragraph, and the links between ideas rely mainly on simple sequencing rather than clear paragraphing or varied cohesive devices. The phrase “If this arrangement is okay with you” connects the schedule to your request effectively, but the letter would be easier to scan if you separated your motivation, proposed duties, and availability into paragraphs. A conventional closing would also give the message a more complete structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for communicating the basic purpose, and phrases such as “part-time job,” “tuition fees,” and “available to work” are relevant to the situation. You also attempt more formal expressions, including “I am writing this letter” and “I am looking forward to hear from you,” though some choices are unnatural or imprecise. “Bring into your notice” is not a natural collocation here; “let you know” or “would like to offer my help” would be clearer. “Househelp” is better written as “household help” or replaced with a specific description of the work. These word-choice issues do not prevent understanding, but more natural, task-specific phrasing would improve the letter’s fluency and tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the relative clause “which would be from 8 AM to 1 PM” and the conditional sentence “If this arrangement is okay with you.” Most of the message remains understandable, and the schedule is expressed clearly. Some grammatical errors remain: after “look forward to,” use the -ing form, so write “I look forward to hearing from you.” The sentence beginning “My only request is to consider the timings of my classes” also has an unclear structure; a clearer version is “Please take my class schedule into account.” Use consistent punctuation and conventional time formatting, such as “8 a.m. to 1 p.m.” Adding a few well-controlled sentences to explain duties and availability would demonstrate a broader range.

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