Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-20

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 Rohani,

Hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to help you, regarding which is the best option for you to take an admission in a college or to get a job. To be perfectly honest, getting a well paid job is a good idea because you already did masters in MBA and there are a lot of opportunities for you such as, accountant, teacher, finance officer and many more. As you are already familiar with accounting so you should definitely start looking jobs in bank. If you get one year experience as a bank manager, there will be higher chances that you can easily hire by foreign bank as well. Therefore, you can also fulfill your dream related to settle down in foreign country.

You will definitely get a job in this sector easily as you have knowledge about it. I pray best for you.

Thank you

Yours lovingly

Savnoor

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student addresses the task but does so in a limited manner by not explicitly stating why college might not be enjoyable. Instead, the response primarily promotes getting a job as the best option without a clear exploration of the drawbacks of college. There is an attempt to suggest jobs that would suit the friend, which partially fulfills the requirements. Thus, the task achievement falls short of full marks.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The coherence in the letter is relatively good; ideas flow from one to another and the overall structure is clear, consisting of a greeting, body, and closing. However, there could be better logical connections. For example, linking the dream to settle down abroad more clearly to specific job opportunities would enhance coherence. The use of connectives and more explicit transitions could improve the flow further.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is fairly appropriate for the context, but it lacks the range and precision expected at higher bands. Words like "well paid job" are rather informal; the student could have used "lucrative position" instead. The phrase "higher chances that you can easily hire by foreign bank" indicates issues with word choice and clarity, potentially detracting from the letter's impact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The grammatical range and accuracy are generally acceptable, with only a few noticeable errors that do not significantly impede communication. For example, "you can easily hire by foreign bank" should be corrected to "you can easily be hired by a foreign bank." Occasional awkward phrasing is noted, which indicates room for improvement in grammatical precision and fluency.

Overall feedback

The letter demonstrates basic communication skills and addresses the task to a certain extent, especially in suggesting suitable job types. To improve, focus on clearly articulating the reasons against going to college and make sure these points are well-integrated into the letter. Enhancing vocabulary with more precise and varied word choices will raise the lexical resource score. Ensure grammatical structures are correct to avoid misunderstanding, particularly in passive constructions. Practice linking ideas more smoothly to improve coherence.

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

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