Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-19

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently did a short cookery course. The cookery school has asked for your feedback on this course. Write a letter to the course director at the cookery school. In your letter

• describe what you enjoyed about the course
• say how much cooking you've done since the course
• suggest another cookery course you’d like the school to offer

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I want to ask that as you know I recently completed my cooking course from your school. I enjoyed this course too much. yours course captivating my interest in cooking. I have zero interest in cooking before this course however after completed this course now I am able to make anything that I want to cook. Now I can make Chinese food as well Italian food and also desi food. Through this course my confidence also enhance. I feel too much confidence when i serving my hand made food to someone else. A significant amount of people who can taste my food also appreciate me about my cooking taste. This course may also help me in my practical life.

In Contrast I suggest you please lunge baking course also from your school. because after cooking course i want to learn baking also owning I like cakes too much that why i learn baking also.

yours sincerely,

iqra akhtar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: describing enjoyment, mentioning cooking frequency, and suggesting a new course. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited. For instance, the description of what was enjoyed is vague ('I enjoyed this course too much'). The suggestion for a baking course is relevant but lacks detail or persuasive reasoning. The tone is somewhat inconsistent for a formal letter to a course director, leaning towards informal and repetitive phrasing. To improve, you should provide more specific examples of what you learned and explain the benefits of your suggestions in a more professional manner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into two main paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by the lack of cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are often missing or awkward, such as the abrupt shift in 'In Contrast I suggest you...'. The use of 'In Contrast' is also incorrect here, as it does not logically connect to the previous paragraph. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs is weak, making the progression of ideas feel disjointed. Using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in addition') would significantly improve the flow and clarity of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'too much' are used repeatedly to express intensity, which is not appropriate for a formal letter. There are also several word choice errors, such as 'lunge' instead of 'launch' and 'owning' instead of 'since'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and the lack of precision prevents the letter from sounding professional. You should focus on using more varied adjectives and verbs, and ensure that you are using words in their correct context to convey your message more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tense ('I have zero interest' instead of 'I had'), subject-verb agreement ('my confidence also enhance'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple or contain errors that distract the reader, such as 'yours course captivating my interest'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters and incorrect spacing. While the message is understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar indicates a need for significant improvement in sentence construction and proofreading for common mistakes.

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

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