Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-11

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 writting to inform you that the cookery course I've taken was extraordinary with full of joy. I'd really liked the friendly atmosphere as well. Our master was one of a kind, a truly epert with so many creative and innovative ideas. That's why from now on I call cooking a hobby not a chore. Thanks to our chef we were able to do a great amount of cooking during the course, since the chef walked us through all the steps patientlly. Although I've learnt all the fundamentals, I believe a complemenary course is needed ASAP. As all the students are willing to learn how to cook international dish. The two day course is preferred. As there were students from all over the globe it would be extremely interesting for all of us. I do really appreciate your advanced notice and beforehand respond.

Yours sincerly,

Nooshin Hosseini

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the course experience and suggest a follow-up course, but the required point about how much cooking you have done since the course is not answered. Saying you did “a great amount of cooking during the course” describes the classes, not what you have cooked afterwards. Your positive comments—especially that the teacher guided the class through the steps—are relevant, but the enjoyment is described in broad terms and the proposed international-cooking course needs clearer detail. The purpose of the letter is understandable, though the closing phrase about appreciating “your advanced notice and beforehand respond” does not clearly communicate your intended thanks. To strengthen the response, cover each prompt directly and add a specific example of a dish or cooking activity since the course.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter follows a recognisable format, with an appropriate opening and sign-off, and the ideas generally relate to the course. However, the progression is not consistently clear: comments on enjoyment, the teacher, cooking during the course, and a new course are packed into one paragraph without clear separation. Some links are also awkward or incomplete. For example, “As all the students are willing to learn…” is a sentence fragment, while “Although I've learnt all the fundamentals” does not connect smoothly to the request for another course. The final sentence is difficult to interpret, which weakens the ending. Organise the feedback into short paragraphs—course experience, cooking since, and a future course—and use clear transitions to show how each point relates.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You show some range beyond basic vocabulary, using phrases such as “friendly atmosphere,” “fundamentals,” and “creative and innovative ideas.” These choices help convey enthusiasm, but several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural and make parts of the message unclear. “Extraordinary with full of joy” is not a natural collocation, and “advanced notice and beforehand respond” does not express a clear meaning. There are also spelling errors, including “writting,” “epert,” “patientlly,” “complemenary,” and “sincerly.” Aim for precise, natural phrases rather than combining several emphatic words, and proofread spelling. For the proposed course, “international dishes” or “cuisines from around the world” would be clearer than “international dish.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including a reason clause with “That's why” and a concessive opening with “Although.” However, control is uneven, particularly in longer sentences. “Although I've learnt all the fundamentals, I believe a complemenary course is needed ASAP. As all the students are willing…” leaves the second idea as a dependent clause rather than a complete sentence. “As there were students from all over the globe it would be…” also needs clearer clause punctuation and structure. The phrase “I'd really liked” uses an incorrect verb form for the intended meaning; “I really liked” is appropriate. Work on completing subordinate clauses, maintaining consistent tense, and punctuating longer sentences so the reader can follow your meaning easily.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.