Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-04

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 5.0)

Hello my dear friend

I just received your letter I like it that you want any advice from me related with your life decisions its difficult time for you to decide what u want right now.

I just wanna ask you why you dont like to going to college because college time is precious time for everyone if you have no big reason then u need to continue your college if you are not interested then getting job is also good idea because u can save some money for your future from now and its also gain your experience.

I can say like u do the job in which you are interested. Don't do without your interest because after that u get again confused so just try to think in which thing you are to much interested because I today era their are so many jobs so take a job accordingly your interest .so, i just wanna say good luck for you future and enjoy your life according with good decision.

Your friend

Raj

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points, but the development is quite limited. You mention why college might not be enjoyable, but the explanation is vague. You suggest that getting a job is good for saving money and gaining experience, which is relevant. However, the third bullet point regarding specific types of jobs is not addressed; you simply advise your friend to choose a job they are interested in without providing concrete examples of suitable roles. To improve, ensure you provide specific, well-developed suggestions for each part of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks clear paragraphing, which makes the structure feel like a single block of text. While there is a basic logical progression from greeting to advice, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and often repetitive (e.g., 'I just wanna'). The transition between ideas is abrupt, and the lack of punctuation makes it difficult for the reader to follow the flow of your argument. Using clear paragraphs for each bullet point and a wider range of linking words would significantly improve the readability and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, relying heavily on informal, conversational language like 'wanna' and 'u'. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'in which thing you are to much interested' and 'I today era'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range is insufficient to express more complex ideas or to maintain a consistent, appropriate tone for a letter. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise vocabulary and avoid informal abbreviations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The grammar is characterized by frequent errors in sentence structure, punctuation, and verb tense. Many sentences are run-on, lacking necessary full stops or commas, such as 'I just received your letter I like it that you want any advice'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and basic errors in subject-verb agreement and word order are common. While the errors do not completely prevent communication, they are frequent enough to cause difficulty for the reader. Focusing on basic sentence construction and punctuation will help improve your accuracy.

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

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