Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-09

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

During a recent plane journey, you sat next to a businessman who owns a chain of restaurants. You talked to him and he suggested that you should contact him about a possible job in one of his restaurants.

Write a letter to this businessman. In your letter

• remind him when and where you met
• tell him what kind of job you are interested in
• say why you think you would be suitable for the job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Hello sir,

I hope you remembered me, as we met at Delhi airport and had a same plane last week. Luckily we sat next to each other, during that journey we shared our experiences in restaurant. you were offered me a position of a shift manager in one of your restaurants.

So, after taking my time on this opportunity, I would like to inform you that I want to accept this offer. Because I am very passionate for making a stable career in food industry.

Although, I have been shared my experience regarding food sector, having a good communication, customer service, experience of being a cashier make me a deserving candidate for this job.

I hope you will consider me and give a chance to proof myself.

your faithfully,

lovely.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: reminding the recipient of the meeting, stating the desired job, and explaining suitability. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. The tone is somewhat inconsistent; while it attempts a formal structure, phrases like 'I hope you remembered me' and 'give a chance to proof myself' are slightly informal or grammatically awkward for a professional business letter. To improve, you should expand on your specific skills and provide more context regarding your professional background to meet the length requirement and demonstrate a more professional tone.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited; for example, the transition 'So, after taking my time' is unnatural in this context. The letter lacks a clear, logical flow between the reminder of the meeting and the transition to accepting the job offer. Using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'Furthermore,' 'Consequently,' 'In addition to this') would help improve the logical connection between your ideas and make the text read more smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choice, such as 'had a same plane' (should be 'were on the same flight') and 'passionate for making a stable career' (should be 'passionate about building'). The phrase 'proof myself' is a common error for 'prove myself.' To improve, focus on learning collocations related to professional correspondence and job applications. Expanding your vocabulary to include more specific industry-related terms would also enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'you were offered me' (passive voice error), 'I have been shared my experience' (incorrect tense), and 'experience of being a cashier make me' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and the closing salutation. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on mastering basic verb tenses and ensuring subject-verb agreement, as well as refining your use of passive voice in formal writing.

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

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