Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-07

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 5.0)

Dear sir,

Respected sir,

How are you, I recently, meet you in a plane and I was sitting next to you we had a conversation and you suggested me to contact you regarding job in one of your restaurant

I want to join as an account manager as i am well experienced professional, in last job i worked in a reporting department and used to maintain all revenue files and reports all accounts of the company furthermore, i calculate all data files and connect with the clients and publishers

This designation of job is better suitable for me as mentioned above moreover, i am very good at handling accounts files, and submitting on time, simultaneously used to attend meeting and updating all day reports and revenue and profits to my boss

Thank you, Have a nice day

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: it mentions the meeting, the desired position, and reasons for suitability. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. The tone is inconsistent; while it attempts a formal structure, the opening 'Dear sir, Respected sir' is redundant and inappropriate for a professional context. The ideas regarding suitability are somewhat repetitive and lack specific professional depth. To improve, you should expand on your experience and provide a more professional closing, ensuring the total word count meets the requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by poor punctuation and run-on sentences. For example, the first paragraph is a single long sentence that lacks proper conjunctions or full stops. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'furthermore' and 'moreover', but they are often placed awkwardly or used to connect ideas that are not clearly linked. The overall structure is mechanical, and the lack of clear sentence boundaries makes the text difficult to follow in places.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. You rely on simple terms like 'job', 'work', and 'files'. While you attempt some professional terminology such as 'account manager', 'revenue', and 'designation', the usage is often imprecise. For instance, 'designation of job' is unnatural phrasing. There is a lack of variety in your word choice, and the errors in word formation (e.g., 'well experienced professional') indicate a limited range. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise professional collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. You struggle with verb tenses ('I recently, meet you'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. Many sentences are comma splices or run-on sentences that lack proper punctuation. The use of articles and prepositions is also inconsistent. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty, which impacts the clarity of your message. You need to focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and using periods to separate distinct thoughts.

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

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