Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-13
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 Satnam,
I hope you will receive this letter in good health and high spirits. I have received your letter today and I am writing this letter in order to let you know that getting a job is a good idea for you rather than enjoy going to college.
From past recent years, most of the students prefer going foreign countries for further studies rather than studying in college. Due to which, studies in colleges are now less recognizable. I would like to suggest you to get a job instead of studying in college because it will help you to gain more skills and you will be able to support your family too. You will not be dependent on your family for your personal expenses. As per your leadership skills, you can easily get a job as a supervisor in any company.
You should apply for the position of the supervisor on the website of the reputed company only. I hope you will soon find a job as a supervisor in the well reputed company. I look forward to your reply.
Best wishes,
Ranveer Singh
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly state why college might not be ideal, explain the benefits of working, and suggest a specific role. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the claim that 'studies in colleges are now less recognizable' is a broad generalization that lacks supporting detail. To reach a higher band, ensure your arguments are more nuanced and logically connected to the friend's specific situation. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a consistent position throughout the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Due to which' and 'instead of', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or unnatural. For instance, 'From past recent years' is an awkward way to introduce a point. The use of referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is sufficient for the task. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words to create a more natural flow between sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'high spirits', 'dependent', and 'leadership skills'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'prefer going foreign countries' (should be 'prefer going to foreign countries') and 'well reputed company' (which is slightly repetitive). The vocabulary is generally functional and allows the message to be conveyed clearly, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your use of collocations and more sophisticated synonyms would enhance your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'I hope you will receive this letter in good health' (a bit formal/clunky) and 'Due to which, studies in colleges are now less recognizable' (a sentence fragment). There are also minor errors with prepositions and articles, such as 'on the website of the reputed company'. Despite these errors, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on sentence construction and ensuring that complex sentences are grammatically complete.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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