Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-14

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A friend you made while you were studying abroad has written to ask you for help in finding a job in your country. You have heard about a job in a local company that might be suitable for him/her.

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Mark,

I hope you are doing well, I just found a job for you and I think you will be very curious to know more about. As you helped me to find my first my job your country, now it my turn and responsibility to help you.

The job I have found for you is Store Associate at local supermarket. After considering all the factors I think this job would be perfect for you, as you like to work within a team and meet new people here you get chance to interact with customer. Basically, you will be working in a team and doing basic tasks like, filling shelves, cashier and managing inventory. I think it will be a easy

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses the three required bullet points, but the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement. Because the letter is incomplete and cuts off abruptly mid-sentence, the development of ideas is severely limited. While the tone is appropriate for a friend, the lack of length prevents a full exploration of the job details and the application process. To improve, you must ensure you provide enough detail for each bullet point to meet the word count, and always ensure your letter reaches a natural conclusion with a closing sign-off.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter shows a basic attempt at organization, with an introduction and a body paragraph. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the logical flow of the letter. Cohesive devices are used sparingly, such as 'as' and 'basically', but the overall structure is weakened by the incomplete nature of the text. To improve, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that you use a wider range of linking words to connect your ideas more smoothly. A proper closing, such as 'Best wishes' or 'Hope to hear from you', is also essential for a formal or semi-formal letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks variety. Phrases like 'find a job' and 'work in a team' are functional but basic. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'my turn and responsibility' and 'a easy', which should be 'an easy'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and precise professional terminology related to the job description, such as 'customer service experience' or 'inventory management'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writing contains several grammatical errors, including missing articles ('at local supermarket' should be 'at a local supermarket'), incorrect prepositions ('in your country' instead of 'in my country'), and punctuation issues, such as comma splices in the opening sentence. The sentence structures are mostly simple, and the attempt at a complex sentence at the end is incomplete. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that your sentences are complete and punctuated correctly. Proofreading for these basic errors will significantly improve your score.

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

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