Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-11

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 rahul,

get a job or go to university is very common thinking between youngsters.

from my perspective, you should get a job because there are variours reason why you not enjoy going to collage. firstly, all of your school mates doing a job and manage there expenses by themselves. secondly, it creates frustration in your mind that everyone is making money and i am the only who did nothing yet. lastly, university consume your 2-3 years easily in which you only got one certificate of degree.

however, getting a job is good idea because its time to support family financially.there are several jobs opportunities for you such in trade sector , manufacturing, transportation and education etc. in which you have interest, you have to go with it.most of youngsters gone in trade sector and getting good pay rate hourly. if you find any difficulty in finding job. just contact me i will share some contacts with you,who give you better job.

yours faithfully

jaskaran singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points and make your recommendation clear: “you should get a job.” You give reasons college may not suit Rahul, including feeling left behind while friends earn money and spending several years studying, and you suggest sectors such as trade, manufacturing, transportation and education. The offer to share job contacts also makes the advice personal and relevant. However, some ideas need fuller explanation: for example, why Rahul specifically would dislike college is inferred from his friends’ situation rather than linked to his interests or preferences. The job suggestions are broad, and you could identify particular roles that match his abilities. Developing these points with more personal detail would make the advice more convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening, a paragraph about college, a paragraph recommending work, and a closing. Sequencing words such as “firstly,” “secondly,” and “lastly” help readers follow the reasons, while “however” signals the shift to employment. At times, though, the progression feels list-like, and some links between ideas are unclear. The opening statement about a common choice does not lead smoothly into the personal advice, and the job-sector list is followed by “in which you have interest,” whose reference is uncertain. Paragraphing is also limited, with several distinct ideas crowded together. Use clearer transitions and connect each reason to Rahul directly to make the letter flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main advice, including “frustration,” “financially,” “manufacturing,” and “transportation.” These choices show some range beyond very basic language. However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors sometimes make the message less natural, such as “variours,” “collage,” “there expenses,” and “good pay rate hourly.” Some phrases are also imprecise or awkward, including “one certificate of degree” and “several jobs opportunities.” Aim to learn common collocations and check spelling carefully; for example, “earn a good hourly wage” is more natural than “getting good pay rate hourly.” More precise vocabulary for specific jobs would also strengthen the practical advice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a sentence with “because” and a sequence of reasons. The overall meaning is generally understandable, but errors in sentence construction and basic grammar are noticeable. For example, “you not enjoy going” needs an auxiliary (“you would not enjoy going”), and “university consume” needs subject–verb agreement (“university consumes”). In “everyone is making money and i am the only who did nothing yet,” the clause structure and tense are not controlled. Several sentences also run together, as in “if you find any difficulty in finding job. just contact me.” Practise complete sentence boundaries, articles, agreement, and consistent verb forms to make your advice easier to read.

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.