Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-11
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 Friend,
I hope you're doing well,
Today, I received your letter. As you asked for the advice whether you should go to college or to try to get a job.
I think you're not happy with this college environment and also the fees is too high which is out of your budget.
You need to look for another college and in parallel you can start looking for a job to cover your college expenses. It will help you to get out of the bullying phase of the college.
At the moment, you don't have any work experience. I recommend you to look for a administrative position in a SME companies.
However, you can share your resume on the walk-in at the supermarkets for the cashier and supervisor role. It fits your educational background better.
Let me know if you need any assistance with the job application.
Yours faithfully,
Tania Riaz
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt, which is a positive start. You explain why college might not be enjoyable, suggest that a job would help with expenses and bullying, and offer specific job types. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the suggestion to look for an 'administrative position' or 'cashier' role is relevant, but the reasoning behind why these fit the friend's background is underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are fully extended with more supporting detail rather than just stating them briefly. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, though the closing 'Yours faithfully' is incorrect for a friend; 'Best wishes' or 'Warmly' would be more suitable.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the logical flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt. You use some cohesive devices like 'However' and 'At the moment,' but the overall structure feels a bit disjointed. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly. Additionally, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single clear idea to improve the overall progression of your argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'administrative position,' 'educational background,' and 'expenses.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'SME companies' (where 'SME' already stands for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, making 'companies' redundant). To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more varied and precise vocabulary to express your advice, and be careful with redundant phrasing to ensure your writing sounds more natural and sophisticated.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is sufficient for this task. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'the fees is too high' should be 'the fees are too high,' and 'the advice whether you should' is missing a preposition (e.g., 'advice on whether'). Additionally, 'a administrative position' should be 'an administrative position.' While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to keep the score in the 6.0 range. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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