Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-08
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)
Dear sir
I hope are you doing well I am a raj I meet you last month in plane .I sat next to you .I hope you remember me .
On that time we discussed about job and after your suggestion I just try to contact you with the help of letter because I really need a job and I am interested in food court job I just want to know if you need some employe for restaurant then please contact me back.
I think I am suitable for the job because I love to cook and I have also experience related with customers service or cashier which is important in every restaurant I think and I also want to work with you because I gain my knowledge and I really like your nature and way of talking so I want to work with good boss as like as you .
Thanku so much for the suggestion I hope we will meet soon.
Your sincerity
Raj
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You successfully reminded the recipient of the meeting, specified your interest in a restaurant role, and provided reasons for your suitability. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, while you mention experience in customer service, expanding on specific tasks or achievements would have provided a more professional tone. The tone is generally appropriate for a business-related letter, though it leans slightly informal in places. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are more detailed and that the overall structure follows a standard formal letter format.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is coherent, and the progression of ideas is logical. You move clearly from the introduction to the purpose of the letter and then to your qualifications. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited. There is a reliance on simple conjunctions like 'and' and 'because', and the paragraphing is non-existent, which makes the text feel like a single block. To improve, you should use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in addition') and organize your response into distinct paragraphs for each main point to improve readability and flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use common words like 'job', 'good', and 'like', which are functional but lack the precision expected at higher levels. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'gain my knowledge' and 'as like as you', which sound unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise professional terminology related to the hospitality industry and avoid repetitive sentence structures. Expanding your range of collocations will help you convey your ideas with greater sophistication and clarity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The letter contains a mix of simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses ('I meet you last month'), subject-verb agreement ('I hope are you doing well'), and punctuation (missing commas and periods). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct tense usage for past events, and refining your punctuation. Incorporating a few more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses, would also help demonstrate a wider grammatical range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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