Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-26

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 4.5)

Dear Het,

Hope you are finding my letter in your best health and wealth.I just read your letter that you want suggestion from me regarding whether to pursue college or to start job in younger age.

I would like to recommend you that, you should find job in any sports field as you are really good at sport and also having good physics will be advantage to you.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You make your recommendation clear: you think Het should seek work, particularly in sport, because they are good at sports and have a good physique. However, the response addresses only part of the task. It does not explain why college would be unenjoyable, and the benefits of employment are not developed beyond the brief suggestion that sport suits them. The job types are also not specified beyond the broad phrase “any sports field.” The response is substantially below the required 150 words, so there is not enough detail to fulfil the three bullet points. Develop each point with a reason or example, such as naming suitable roles and explaining how work would benefit your friend.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The letter has a basic sequence: you acknowledge your friend’s question and then give your recommendation. This makes the central message understandable. However, the response is very brief and has no clear paragraph development or closing, so the ideas do not progress beyond the initial advice. The link between being good at sport and having a “good physics” and finding suitable work is implied rather than explained. Add separate sections for college, the advantages of working, and suitable jobs, using simple links such as “Also” or “For example” to guide the reader. A conventional sign-off would help complete the letter.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary, including “pursue college,” “recommend,” and “sports field,” and the reader can understand the general advice. However, the range is limited, and several expressions are unnatural or imprecise, such as “in your best health and wealth,” “want suggestion,” and “good physics.” These choices make parts of the letter less clear and less natural for a friendly letter. Use common, accurate phrases such as “I hope you’re doing well,” “you asked for my advice,” and “good physical fitness.” Naming specific roles—such as sports coach, fitness instructor, or sports shop assistant—would also make the vocabulary more precise and help answer the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response communicates its main point, and you attempt a longer sentence to explain your recommendation. However, the grammatical range is limited, and errors occur in basic sentence construction and punctuation. For example, “I would like to recommend you that, you should find job” has an incorrect verb pattern and an unnecessary comma; write “I would recommend that you find a job.” In “as you are really good at sport and also having good physics,” the verb forms are not parallel. The opening also runs sentences together after “wealth.” Practise accurate sentence boundaries, articles, and parallel verb forms, then use a few varied sentence structures to explain your reasons.

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

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