Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-05

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 Hardik,

Hope you are doing well,

I have received your letter, recently, I feel well and hope you are find pink of your health. I understand your situation and you are wish to make good decision about going to college or job for your better prospects.

I would like to share my feeling with you to become familiar with working life than wasting time behind collage. I Know very well you, you have a good skill into operating computer very ease and possessed an excellent knowledge like skills about making websites which leads web developer coherence with Information Technology.

I would prefer for you that you should pick as wise idea that is a job. Because it would be able to build your good career in web developer on as your's fluency on computer. and you should overlooked or controlled other ambitions regarding further ahead steady.

Furthermore, It's good decision which would like to suggest you that web developing profession would be most effective for your next days which brings sun rise in your life.

I hope you pick well decisions for your prospective career.

Worm wishes,

Poll Richard.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all three bullet points: it touches on why college might not be ideal, suggests that a job is a better path, and identifies web development as a suitable career. However, the development of these ideas is limited. The reasoning for why college is a 'waste of time' is vague, and the explanation of why a job is better is repetitive. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, but the lack of depth in the arguments prevents a higher score. To improve, you should provide more specific, logical reasons for your advice rather than relying on general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is divided into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression between sentences is often weak. Phrases like 'coherence with Information Technology' and 'overlooked or controlled other ambitions' are confusing and disrupt the flow of ideas. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Furthermore'), they are often applied incorrectly or in a way that makes the text feel mechanical. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to follow the exact point being made in the middle paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and frequently inaccurate. There are several instances of awkward collocations and word choice errors, such as 'find pink of your health' (an incorrect idiom), 'wasting time behind collage' (should be 'college'), and 'brings sun rise in your life'. These errors occasionally impede communication, as the reader has to guess the intended meaning. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on using more natural, precise vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices fit the context of a friendly letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect readability. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('you are wish to make'), incorrect verb forms ('you should overlooked'), and sentence fragments or run-on sentences. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty, leading to confusion. The punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like tense consistency and word order before attempting more complex grammatical structures.

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

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