Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-04
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 5.5)
Dear Saloni,
I am writting regarding the delima that you are facing to either going to college or to find a job. Because you lost your father in this year so in this shocked mental state and due to lack of funds, this is the worst option for you. This would be the most challenging thing right now.
The best course of action in this phase of life of your is to find a better job, so that you can be the own bread and butter buyer of your family first and in addition to that you can continue your studies in some time too.
I will recommend you to find a better job for good earning and the job which will assist you to move further towards your life goal. For instance Teaching job will aid you to stay connected with the studies and some field job where you can practise your own skills to sharpen them. These kinds of oppurtunities will enhance your learning and provide you room for further growth.
Your Faithfully,
Rewant Sharma
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, successfully covering why the friend might not enjoy college, explaining why a job is a good idea, and suggesting suitable types of work. However, the development of these ideas is limited and at times somewhat unclear or abrupt. For instance, mentioning the personal circumstance of losing a father is handled with some emotional gravity, but the link to why college is specifically the worst option could be extended further. The position is generally clear, but the overall task execution remains basic and under-developed in places, keeping the response at a level where ideas are only partially explored and supported.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical structure, moving from an introductory paragraph regarding the dilemma into the core arguments for employment and concluding with specific job recommendations. Paragraphing is utilised adequately to separate distinct points. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or features slightly faulty referencing, such as the abrupt transition between sentences in the first paragraph. Connectors like 'in addition to that' are somewhat heavy-handed, but overall, the progression of ideas is sufficiently clear to guide the reader through the text without major confusion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the general task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'bread and butter buyer' and 'field job', though these show some inaccuracy in collocation and style. There are several noticeable lexical errors, including spelling mistakes like 'writting' and 'delima', as well as awkward word choices such as 'own bread and butter buyer'. These errors and the limited range of vocabulary cause occasional difficulty or require the reader to re-read parts of the text to fully grasp the intended meaning, placing it firmly within this category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Because you lost your father in this year so in this shocked mental state...' which demonstrates an ambition to use subordinate clauses. However, these attempts at complex structures are frequently faulty, accompanied by grammatical errors involving prepositions, articles, and word forms, such as 'phase of life of your', 'be the own bread and butter', and 'Teaching job will aid you'. These frequent errors in grammar and sentence structure can cause some difficulty and strain for the reader, reflecting a limited range of reliable structures.
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