Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-16

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 Carlo,

It was great catching up with you! I am writing because you asked me for some advice if you should consider college or go get a job. I think this is still up to you.

I have been studying two years for my college while working for one year. So I can say that It is not good to be a working student. I can say that I really enjoy working because I have been getting salaries that help me buy things I want. Also, continuing college is really hard if you are struggling financially. Life right now is about practicallity than getting a degree.

I must say that you go get a job, thinking that going to college is really expensive and your parents are struggling financially.

I suggest to go for a job that really interest you. Think about your hobbies that makes you want to do it, you will not feel bored because it is something that is enjoying to do. LOL!

These are just to give you ideas, so I still think that the decision is still up to you.

Yours sincerely,

Angelo

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You give a clear general preference for employment and include reasons linked to your own experience, such as earning money and the difficulty of studying while financially strained. You also address why college may not suit Carlo and offer a broad suggestion to choose work connected to his interests. However, the advice is only partly developed: the letter does not explain much about what Carlo specifically would dislike about college, and “a job that really interest you” does not identify any suitable job types, as requested. Your position also becomes less decisive when you say the choice is “still up to you.” Develop each point with specific examples and name a few realistic roles suited to his interests or circumstances.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, separate paragraphs for your reasons and suggestion, and an appropriate closing. The ideas are generally understandable, and phrases such as “Also” and “I must say” help signal progression. However, the overall development is somewhat repetitive: the idea that the decision is Carlo’s appears in both the opening and conclusion, while the advice moves abruptly from your experience to his parents’ finances. Some links are also unclear, particularly “I can say that It is not good to be a working student,” followed by a positive account of working. Organise the body around the three requested points and use clearer transitions to show how each reason supports your recommendation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough everyday vocabulary to communicate the main advice, including “struggling financially,” “salaries,” and “hobbies.” These phrases are relevant to the situation, but the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, which keeps the message from sounding consistently clear and fluent. For example, “go get a job” is informal and repeated, while “a job that really interest you” does not specify a type of work. “Life right now is about practicallity” is also an awkward and misspelled expression. Aim for more precise language about employment and education, and choose a consistently friendly but appropriate tone; “LOL!” is too casual for a considered advice letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate through mostly straightforward sentences and attempt some longer structures, for example, “I really enjoy working because I have been getting salaries that help me buy things I want.” The main meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement recur. “I am writing because you asked me for some advice if you should consider…” needs a more accurate indirect-question structure, and “I suggest to go for a job” has an incorrect verb pattern. In “your hobbies that makes you want to do it,” the verb and pronoun do not agree with the plural noun. Capitalisation is also inconsistent in “It.” Practise indirect questions, verb patterns after “suggest,” and subject–verb agreement, while varying sentence forms more accurately.

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