Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22

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 Farah,

Hope you are doing well. It has been a long time since we met. I really miss our last get together. I received your letter and really appreciate that you are sharing your concern with me.

Your decision about leaving the college is shocking but at the same time. but your financial problem are also thought provoking. I'd say it would be a good decision to take a leave from from college until you find find yourself quite stable financially. Simultaneously, you should start searching the suitable job. Your communication skills are well developed, so i will suggest you to search a job related to sale assistance. I think, it will be convenient for you for you.

I hope my advice will be beneficial for you.wi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points, but the development is insufficient. You mention why college might be difficult and suggest a job, but the explanation for why a job is a good idea is quite brief. Furthermore, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the overall task achievement. To improve, you should expand on your reasoning for each point, providing more depth and detail to ensure the reader fully understands your perspective. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, but the lack of length prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter has a basic structure, but it lacks clear paragraphing, which is essential for organizing ideas effectively. While there is a logical flow from the greeting to the advice, the transitions between ideas are somewhat abrupt. You use some cohesive devices like 'Simultaneously' and 'so', but the overall organization feels a bit disjointed. To improve, ensure you use clear paragraph breaks to separate your introduction, the body of your advice, and your closing. Additionally, try to use a wider variety of linking words to connect your sentences more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat limited and repetitive. For example, you use the word 'find' twice in the same sentence and 'for you' repeatedly. There are also some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'sale assistance' instead of 'sales assistant'. To achieve a higher band score, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to the topic of career and education. Using synonyms and more varied collocations will help make your writing sound more natural and sophisticated.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors, including punctuation issues (e.g., 'at the same time. but') and word repetition ('find find', 'for you for you'). There are also errors in subject-verb agreement, such as 'financial problem are'. While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors distract the reader. You rely mostly on simple sentence structures. To improve, focus on proofreading your work to eliminate repetitive words and ensure subject-verb agreement. Additionally, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or conditional sentences, to demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

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

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