Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently received a letter from a friend asking for advice about whether to go to college or to try to get a job. You think he/she should get a job.

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter

• say why he/she would not enjoy going to college
• explain why getting a job is a good idea for him/her
• suggest types of job that would be suitable for him/her

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Mark,

I am writing this letter to advice you about what step you have to take in future rather job or study.

As per my personal experience, I suggest you more study not help you in future and also as per my experience college is not for you. It is give a lots of stress and burden on your mental health. In my opinion I suggest you for find any editor entry level job because you are already very good at it. You just a need of perfession polish.

Right now, such proffesions are in demand in digital market may be you will make one good nice portfolio and curriculam vital about you own work that will definetly impress employer. That skills also give you nice return in terms of salary, which will help you to fulfill your dreams. Lastly, college take from your pocket and job fill your pocket now its on you what you want to do.

I hope you get my point and you will take best decision for your future.

Best wishes,

Mohammad

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You give a clear recommendation to seek work and address all three requested points. You explain that college could create “stress and burden” and suggest an entry-level editor role, linking it to Mark’s existing ability and the possibility of earning money. These are relevant reasons, but some parts are less fully developed: the explanation of why Mark specifically would not enjoy college is brief, and the job suggestions remain limited to editing rather than offering a few suitable options. The advice about building a portfolio is useful, though it could be connected more clearly to the kinds of roles he might pursue. To strengthen the letter, develop the reasons with details tailored to Mark and give two or three specific job possibilities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening, advice and supporting points, and a suitable closing. The ideas generally progress from college concerns to employment benefits and then to a practical suggestion. Linking phrases such as “In my opinion,” “Right now,” and “Lastly” help signal this movement, although some transitions feel mechanical and the relationship between ideas is occasionally unclear. For example, “I suggest you more study not help you in future” makes it difficult to follow the contrast between study and work. The paragraphing is broadly appropriate, but the central paragraph combines several points in a long sequence. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each reason directly to the recommendation to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “stress,” “mental health,” “in demand,” “portfolio,” “employer,” and “salary.” This gives you enough language to communicate the main advice, but word choice and spelling errors are noticeable and sometimes make the message less natural. Examples include “advice” where the verb “advise” is needed, “perfession polish,” “proffesions,” and “curriculam vital.” Some phrases, such as “make one good nice portfolio” and “nice return,” are imprecise or awkward. Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. More precise expressions such as “build a strong portfolio” and “earn a steady income” would make the advice clearer and more convincing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the main message is usually understandable. However, some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “I suggest you more study not help you in future” lacks a clear clause structure, while “It is give a lots of stress” has an incorrect verb form and article/plural pattern. In “you are already very good at it,” the reference of “it” is not fully clear, and “college take from your pocket and job fill your pocket” needs subject–verb agreement. Try building advice with reliable patterns, such as “I think you would find college stressful because…” and “A job would allow you to…”. Proofread verb forms, articles, and agreement while retaining some complex sentences.

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

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