Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-24

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)

Dear Harman,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to tell you about your next career ,is the college good or doing a job is a perfect option for you ? I recently received your letter and after some days i have a time to answer it.

I think doing a job is a good option for you because you recently completed your studies. Now, you have a enough knowledge to doing a job. So you will not be burden of your parents. Also, to help your parents with your job to settle down their finances.

Also, according to me, to do a job in a medical field is the best option for you and your future career. Because in the senior seconday school you passed with a medical stream with 90 percent of grades. I hope this letter helps you alot. So when you have a time you read it.

Your lovingly,

Manjot

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers the main bullet points of the task, though the development and tone are somewhat uneven. The writer touches upon why college might not be ideal by suggesting a job is better suited due to completed studies. However, the first bullet point—saying why Harman would not enjoy going to college—is only implied rather than explicitly detailed. The second point regarding the benefits of getting a job is reasonably well addressed through mentions of financial independence and helping parents. Finally, the third point is partially covered by suggesting a medical field job based on past academic performance. Overall, the ideas are somewhat limited and under-developed, aligning best with a Band 5.5 to 6.0 descriptor. To improve, the writer needs to expand on why college specifically would not be enjoyable and provide more precise types of jobs rather than a broad field.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter maintains a recognisable structure with an appropriate greeting and sign-off, but the overall organization and paragraphing show notable flaws. The introductory paragraph is quite convoluted, mixing the purpose of the letter with redundant questions, such as 'is the college good or doing a job is a perfect option for you ?'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the logical progression between sentences is occasionally hindered by abrupt transitions and repetitive cohesive devices like 'Also' and 'So'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the opening lines. While the message can be understood, the mechanical and faulty use of cohesion places this text firmly in the Band 5 category.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive, reflecting a limited range. Phrases like 'doing a job' and 'good option' are overused throughout the letter. There are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'pass with a medical stream with 90 percent of grades' instead of 'graduated with high grades in sciences' or 'achieved 90% in her science subjects'. Furthermore, 'burden of your parents' is unnatural phrasing. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the lexical inadequacies cause some friction for the reader, matching the requirements of a Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'you have a enough knowledge to doing a job' (incorrect article usage and gerund form) and 'when you have a time you read it' (missing modal verbs and awkward clause structure). Punctuation and sentence boundaries are also mishandled, notably in the first paragraph where a question mark is misplaced within a declarative statement. These frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from reaching a Band 6.

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