Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-30

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 John,

I hope you are doing well! Yesterday I got your letter in which you are asking my openion regarding whether you persue studing or start hunting for job.

I believe, finding job would be better for you rather than studing further to have higher degree. As you're interested in marketing prectical knowledge is necessary in this field where you could work on ground level instead of making presentations and cramming books, which is quite a monotonus process.

You've gained enough basic knowledge, now time for getting some real-world experience. working alongside with your colleagues provide you opportunities to implement your ideas and broaden your horizones. which not only boost your confidence but also provide with opportunity to work with like minded people.

I think working in small companies or

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

Your position is clear: you recommend that John work rather than continue studying, and you give a relevant reason by contrasting practical marketing experience with presentations and book learning. You also explain that a job could help him apply ideas, build confidence, and meet like-minded colleagues. However, the response is incomplete: the final paragraph stops at “working in small companies or,” so you do not actually suggest suitable job types. The explanation of why college would not suit him is also brief, and the letter has no closing. The response is 19 words below the required minimum, which contributes to the limited development. Complete the job suggestions and expand the reasons with details specific to John.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The ideas are grouped into paragraphs, and the overall direction is understandable: you introduce the choice, explain why work may suit John, and begin to suggest an employment setting. Phrases such as “rather than” and “which not only… but also…” help connect related points. However, the progression is cut off when the final paragraph ends after “or,” leaving the letter without a complete conclusion or sign-off. Some links are also awkward: “which not only boost…” is separated from the preceding sentence, and the shift from “you” to “working alongside with your colleagues” makes the reference less direct. Finish each paragraph’s idea and use clear sentence boundaries and transitions to make the letter flow more smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “practical knowledge,” “real-world experience,” “implement your ideas,” and “broaden your horizons.” These phrases show an attempt to express more than basic ideas and are generally understandable. However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce accuracy, such as “openion,” “persue,” “prectical,” and “monotonus.” Some expressions are also unnatural or imprecise, including “start hunting for job” and “work on ground level.” Aim for accurate spelling and natural collocations, for example, “look for a job” and “gain hands-on experience.” The range is adequate for the letter’s main points, but the unfinished job suggestion prevents you from demonstrating more specific employment vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including a complex explanation beginning “As you're interested in marketing…” and the paired structure “which not only… but also…”. The main message remains understandable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries are noticeable. For example, “you are asking” would be more natural as “you asked,” while “working alongside with your colleagues provide” needs a singular verb and a corrected construction. “Now time for getting” is also missing a subject and verb, and “which not only boost…” is a fragment with an agreement error. Capitalise “Working” after the full stop and connect the relative clause to a complete sentence. More accurate control of these patterns would make your ideas easier to follow.

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