Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-03

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

My name is Andrew. I recently completed my cooking course in Perfect kitchen school. My student number was [redacted phone].

I enjoyed this 6 months course a lot in which i learnt many cutting and chopping skills. Moreover, it is also helpful for me in future because i am planning to move foreign for my higher studies. I acquired numerous of dishes like how to make and what is the quantity need for a specific cuisine.

Furthermore, my overall experience was very good over there but i am going to suggest one thing that you should start the other courses which is required to start own business as well as food safety level courses through which the students can get more help about particular food.

I would appreciate you if you would start some other courses in this academy.

Your sincerely,

Andrew

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points: describing what was enjoyed, mentioning cooking frequency, and suggesting a new course. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of ideas. For instance, the second bullet point regarding how much cooking you have done since the course is not explicitly answered; you mention planning to move abroad but do not state how often you have cooked. Additionally, the suggestion for a new course is somewhat vague. To improve, ensure you explicitly address every prompt and expand on your ideas to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'Moreover, it is also helpful' and 'Furthermore, my overall experience'. The progression of ideas is clear, but the transitions between sentences could be more natural. The letter follows a standard format, but the lack of development makes the overall flow feel a bit disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. You use basic phrasing such as 'enjoyed this 6 months course a lot' and 'overall experience was very good'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'acquired numerous of dishes' (which is grammatically incorrect) and 'move foreign'. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise vocabulary related to cooking and professional feedback, and avoid repetitive or non-standard phrasing. Using more sophisticated synonyms will help demonstrate a wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I acquired numerous of dishes', 'the quantity need for a specific cuisine', and 'start the other courses which is required'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, such as the lowercase 'i' used throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of subject-verb agreement and pluralisation.

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

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