Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-22

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

• tell your friend about the job and what sort of work it involves
• say why you think the job would be suitable for him/her
• explain how to apply for the job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Arsh,

I hope you and your family are doing good. Yesterday, i got your letter but sorry i didnot reply you yesterday because i was outside.

In letter you ask for a job, I recently came to know about a job in construction (Drywall hanging and taping). Its basically you have to hang the drywalls and finish them with 2 to 3 coats of mud. This work is indoor so you do not have to worry about the rainy and cold canadian terrain.

I suggest you this work it suites your physical capacity and your interest in construction work i remember our old college days where you represent the most acurate and time saving model to refurish our lecture room. Despite this, I know you are facing some financial hardship now, this work will pays you well enough to meet your needs.

I saw the Skyward Drywall Ltd, owned by Mr. Gagandeep Singh advertisement on Linkdin application. So i assist you to apply for Job there and donot forget to mention your carpenter crash course diploma.

See you soon Arsh

Your lovingly

Gagan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you describe drywall hanging and finishing, explain why the work may suit Arsh, and identify where you saw the vacancy and what qualification to mention. The practical detail about applying to Skyward Drywall Ltd is useful. Your reasons for suitability are relevant, especially his construction interest and carpenter training, but the connection to the college model is not fully clear, and the financial point is asserted rather than linked to the job’s pay or conditions. The application instructions are also quite brief: clarify whether he should contact the company, submit a CV, or apply through the advertised platform. Developing these points more fully and making the request for action explicit would make the letter more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall sequence: a personal opening, information about the job, reasons it may suit Arsh, and application advice. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these purposes, and the closing is appropriate for a friend. Some links between ideas are less smooth, however. For example, “Despite this” does not clearly connect the college model to Arsh’s financial situation, and “So i assist you to apply” does not make clear what action you are offering or recommending. The opening also refers to receiving a letter and then moves quickly to the vacancy. Use linking phrases that show the precise relationship between ideas, and make references such as “this work” and “there” unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “drywall,” “coats of mud,” “construction,” “financial hardship,” and “carpenter … diploma,” so the main message is understandable. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as describing the work as indoor and referring to a local company. However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce accuracy, including “suites” for “suits,” “acurate,” “refurish,” and “Linkdin.” Some expressions are unnatural or imprecise, such as “canadian terrain” for the weather conditions and “carpenter crash course diploma.” Choose standard job-related terms and check spelling carefully; more natural collocations would make your description clearer and more professional while retaining the friendly tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more developed sentences, for example the explanation of the drywall duties and the sentence giving reasons the job may suit Arsh. The overall meaning is generally recoverable, but some grammatical errors occur across the letter. Examples include “I didnot reply you” (the verb pattern should be “reply to you”), “In letter you ask” (missing article and tense control), and “this work will pays you” (incorrect verb form). Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, as in lowercase “i” and the long sentence beginning “I suggest you this work.” Review articles, past and present tense, subject–verb agreement, and sentence boundaries. More accurate control of these patterns would make your varied sentences easier to read.

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

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