Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-12

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 friend,

I hope you are doing well , and just to let you know that I recently got a new job in this new city. last week i recieved your letter in which you asked for suggestion in choosing one thing. To be honest it was a difficult tak for me, but after thinking for a longer period of time I have a few thoughts. Looking at your situation I belive that you should look for a start up job gor your self.

the reason i suggested you this option is that you are an elder brothyer of a girl and a boy. And, therefore you have a lot of responsibilities and family pressure on you that you need to carry forward. As I am much familiar with your family and i kniw that you need financial support at this point and being a good friend that is my honest suggestion for you. Just for starting you can join the retail depatment as it has a lot of options and a good oppurtunity for growth. Just keep on trying with the local stores and gain some experience. If you laked this field later on you can setup your own startup and step in as a business men.

I hope that you liked my suggestion. please, just let me know you you need help with anything else.

Thankyou

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

Your main recommendation is clear: you advise your friend to seek work, and you suggest retail as a possible starting point. You also give a relevant reason, explaining that family responsibilities and the need for financial support make employment practical. However, the task asks you to explain why your friend would not enjoy college, and this part is not addressed. The reasons for choosing work are also only briefly developed, while the suggestion of suitable jobs is limited mainly to retail. To make the response more complete, explain what aspects of college would not suit your friend and give a little more detail about how work fits their interests or circumstances.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you refer to your friend’s question, give your recommendation, explain your reasoning, and close politely. The paragraph break also helps separate the opening from the main advice. Some linking is effective, such as “therefore” and “as I am much familiar with your family,” but connections are occasionally awkward or unclear. For example, “To be honest it was a difficult tak for me” does not lead smoothly into the recommendation, and the long paragraph combines family circumstances, financial need, and job suggestions without clear separation. Use shorter paragraphs for each main point and clearer transitions to make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the general advice, including “financial support,” “responsibilities,” “retail department,” and “experience.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions such as “opportunity for growth” and “set up your own startup.” However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which can make the message less clear. Examples include “look for a start up job” and “step in as a business men”; these do not express the intended ideas naturally. Spelling errors such as “recieved,” “oppurtunity,” and “laked” are noticeable. Build accuracy by checking spelling and learning common phrases for employment and career advice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a reason clause beginning “the reason i suggested you this option is that…” and a sentence using “therefore.” The overall meaning is usually understandable, but errors in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and punctuation are frequent enough to affect fluency. For instance, “I recently got a new job in this new city. last week i recieved…” needs consistent sentence capitalization, while “if you laked this field later on you can setup…” has an incorrect verb form and an unclear conditional structure. Some sentences also run together, particularly in the main paragraph. Practise accurate past-tense forms and use full stops to separate complete ideas.

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

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