Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-01

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 or Madam,

I am writing to share my expierence with you regarding the cookery course I enrolled.

To begin with, I did not expect this kind of course content because it was very cheap price. Nevertheless, the basics of cooking likeorganizing the working space, safety handling practices and how to hold knife to avoid any injuries were. Moreover, the class size was also small which resulted in better focus and assistance of teacher.

Furthermore, During the course we were taught how to chop onions in numerous style for different taste which I found really excited and strange.In addition, I have learn to cook more than 10 types of Indian cusines.

At last, I would really give 5 star review to this course and I would kindly request you to intorduce this course again but this time with different style cooking style like middle-east, western food and any other international recipe.

Thank you for considering this request.

Yours sincerely,

Maksud

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, as the writer describes what they enjoyed about the course, mentions their subsequent cooking practice, and suggests a new course. However, some bullet points are under-developed or treated somewhat superficially. For instance, the description of what was enjoyed includes a mix of points like knife skills and small class size, but the part regarding how much cooking has been done since the course is very brief, stating only that the writer has learned 'more than 10 types of Indian cusines' without fully elaborating on practical application. To reach a higher band, all parts of the prompt require a more extended and fully supported exploration.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical structure typical of formal correspondence, opening with an appropriate salutation and closing. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In addition' are employed to sequence ideas, although their use can occasionally feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate different aspects of the feedback, such as course content, enjoyed features, and future suggestions. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional awkward transitions between sentences prevent the text from achieving a smoother and more natural progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their general meaning effectively. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary and phraseology, such as 'organizing the working space' and 'safety handling practices', though these are accompanied by some noticeable errors in word form, choice, and spelling. For example, words like 'expierence', 'numerous style', and 'cusines' contain spelling mistakes, and phrases like 'cheap price' lack precision. These lexical inaccuracies and spelling errors do not heavily impede communication, but they restrict the score, as greater precision and control over word choice are needed for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures such as relative clauses and introductory dependent clauses. However, there are several errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text. Examples include incomplete sentence structures ('were' left hanging at the end of the second paragraph), missing prepositions or articles, and agreement issues. Despite these noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation, they rarely impede overall communication, allowing the reader to follow the main points of the letter. A greater range of error-free complex sentences and more consistent grammatical control are required to progress further.

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

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