Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-08

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have seen an advertisement in an Australian magazine for someone to live with a family for six months and look after their six-year-old child.

Write a letter to the parents. In your letter

• explain why you would like the job
• give details of why you would be a suitable person to employ
• say how you would spend your free time while you are in Australia

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Sir or Madam

Hope you are doing well. I saw an advertisement in an Australian magazine, are you looking for someone who can take care of your 6 years old child.

I read all the details, according to your requirements, I am ready for this role. Because I completed my study in early childhood and my previous work experience is in same field. Recently, I worked with a guy who is suffering from autism and I do all the responsibilities which they need to take care of that child. But last month his mother got retirement plan. From the last month i am looking a job in this field.

I am good educator, so I guide your children basic knowledge of study. I have some references books with me. Even that time when I did not have any job, I spent my free time in day care as a volunteer and I learnt many new from the day board. Please let me know if you really need my help, my contact number is [redacted phone] and my email id is [redacted email]

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt, which is a positive start. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention your experience with an autistic child, the explanation is slightly confusing and lacks professional detail. Furthermore, the third bullet point regarding how you would spend your free time is entirely missing from your response. To improve, ensure you dedicate a specific paragraph to each requirement of the task. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, but the lack of detail regarding your free time prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited, making the flow feel somewhat mechanical. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures and lack transition words to connect your ideas logically. For example, the transition between your work experience and your interest in the job could be smoother. To improve, try using linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'in addition' to create a more natural flow between your sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use some relevant terms like 'early childhood' and 'volunteer', but there are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'I did all the responsibilities' and 'I learnt many new from the day board'. These errors occasionally make your meaning slightly unclear. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and professional terminology related to childcare and employment. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and verbs will also help you express your suitability for the role more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Issues include incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'I am looking a job'), missing articles, and punctuation errors. For example, '6 years old child' should be 'six-year-old child'. While these errors do not completely prevent communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that your sentences are punctuated correctly to enhance clarity and professionalism.

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

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