Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-15

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 Harleen,

I received your letter, and i am very glad to hear from you. While reading your letter, you need some assistance about whether to take admission in college or try to get a job.

I know you are very excited for college because everyone has a same mind of set.However, you did not make friends easily here so you cant enjoy without your friends here.

According to my perspective in today era its vital to get job as soon as possible before taking admisision in college.As you know fees is to high in colleges and quite difficult to pay this amount for everyone.So get your job first for bread and butter.

As per the choice for job that would be suitable for you, here is lot of opportunities for you. If i am talking about your speaking skills your very talented in that various kind of jobs need this, so here is job for in the mall manager positon

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the main situation and make your preference for employment clear, giving a reason that college may not suit Harleen: you say she “did not make friends easily” and might not enjoy college without friends. You also explain that a job could help her earn money and manage college fees, and you suggest a mall manager role based on her speaking skills. However, the advice is only partly developed: the reason about friendships is unclear, and the job suggestion needs explanation of why her skills fit that role. The letter also ends abruptly, without a complete closing. Develop each point with specific, relevant support and make your recommendation clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly sensible order: it introduces the request, discusses college, explains the financial benefit of working, and then suggests a job. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression is uneven, and links between ideas are sometimes unclear. For example, “everyone has a same mind of set” does not clearly connect to the point about Harleen’s difficulty making friends. Phrases such as “According to my perspective” and “As per the choice for job” are used mechanically and do not make the relationships between ideas clearer. The final sentence is incomplete, so the job advice feels unfinished. Use clearer paragraphing and straightforward links, and finish with a brief concluding sentence and sign-off.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “college,” “fees,” “speaking skills,” and “opportunities,” so the basic message can be understood. However, the range is limited, and several inaccurate or unnatural expressions make parts difficult to interpret. “Take admission” and “everyone has a same mind of set” are not natural in this context, while “bread and butter” is an informal idiom that does not explain the financial benefit precisely. There are also spelling errors such as “admisision” and “positon.” Choose familiar, accurate phrases rather than forcing idioms, and check spelling carefully. More precise language for job suitability would help make the recommendation convincing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple sentences and longer structures, such as “As you know fees is to high in colleges and quite difficult to pay this amount for everyone.” However, the longer constructions are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make the reader pause. Examples include “I am talking about your speaking skills your very talented,” which joins clauses without suitable punctuation and omits the verb “are,” and “you cant enjoy without your friends,” which has an incorrect negative construction. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries. Practise building accurate sentences with one main idea at a time, then add subordinate clauses and check verb forms, articles, and punctuation.

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

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