Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-29

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 Jatin,

Hope your are doing well. I just saw your letter, thanks for asking that whethere your should to do job or college. In my opnion doing a job is better option for you.

I donot think college is good for you because you always prefer to in pratiral activiates instead of thorey or attending lecture. You also do not exams, therefore when you are again going to college make you more furstrating.

On the other hand, when your start a job, its helps you to earn money and you will get more independent and valuable work experience. You can also develop a good skill that helps in your future and also you feel more comfertable because to feel good in physical things.

I suggest you to look a job in sales or customer service is perfect because you are your communication skills are awesome. Working in hotel or restaurant also suits you well.

Best wishes

Sanjet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all bullet points required by the prompt. You adopt a clear tone and stance, advising your friend to choose a job over college. You explain why college might not be enjoyable by pointing out a preference for practical activities rather than theory, and you explain why a job is beneficial for gaining independence and work experience. Additionally, you suggest suitable roles such as sales, customer service, or hospitality based on communication skills. However, the development of some ideas is limited and somewhat brief, placing this response at Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a recognizable letter format with an appropriate greeting and sign-off. The overall arrangement is coherent, with each paragraph addressing a distinct bullet point from the prompt. Paragraphing is used reasonably well to separate ideas. However, cohesion at the sentence level is occasionally faulty and mechanical, such as the abrupt transitions between sentences and awkward referencing like when you start a job, its helps. Overall, the logical flow is adequate for a Band 6.0 rating.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your opinions clearly about college and employment. You attempt some less common vocabulary, such as 'independent', 'valuable work experience', and 'communication skills'. However, there are notable spelling and word choice errors throughout the text, including 'whethere', 'opnion', 'pratiral activiates', 'thorey', 'furstrating', and 'comfertable'. These lexical errors show a lack of precision, resulting in a score of 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as conditional and subordinate clauses. However, your writing contains frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including 'Hope your are doing well', 'thanks for asking that whethere your should to do job', 'You also do not exams', and 'I suggest you to look a job in sales'. These errors occasionally cause strain for the reader, though the overall meaning remains clear. This performance aligns with the Band 5.0 descriptors.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.