Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-21

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A friend of yours is thinking of going on a camping holiday for the first time this summer. He/She has asked for your advice. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter

• explain why you think your friend would enjoy a camping holiday
• describe some possible disadvantages
• say whether you would like to go camping with your friend this summer

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Sarah,

I'm really happy to hear that you are planning to go camping for the first time this summer. I think it will be a fun and memorable experience, but there are a few things you should prepare before you go.

First of all, choose a safe and well-known campsite, especially because it is your first camping trip. You should take a good-quality tent, sleeping bag, comfortable clothes, a flashlight, insect repellent, sunscreen and enough food and drinking water. It is also a good idea to carry a first-aid kit and some warm clothes because the weather can change quickly.

I also recommend checking the weather forecast before leaving. Try to go with a few friends rather than camping alone. During the trip, keep the campsite clean and follow all the safety rules, especially when making a campfire.

I'm sure you will have a wonderful time. Let me know if you need any help preparing for the trip.

Best wishes, Parveen

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You explain why camping is enjoyable, list disadvantages (implied through safety advice and weather warnings), and offer to join the trip. However, the task asks you to explicitly describe disadvantages, such as lack of facilities or discomfort. Your response focuses heavily on advice and preparation rather than describing the potential downsides of camping. To improve, ensure each bullet point is given equal weight. For example, you could have mentioned the lack of electricity or the challenge of sleeping on the ground to more directly address the 'disadvantages' requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'also', and 'During the trip' to link your sentences. While the paragraphing is appropriate for a letter, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between the advice and the disadvantages is more fluid.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You use some topic-specific terms like 'campsite', 'insect repellent', and 'weather forecast'. However, the range is somewhat limited and relies on fairly common, everyday language. There is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated collocations. To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives or idiomatic expressions that would be natural in a friendly letter, such as 'roughing it' or 'unpredictable conditions'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

Your grammar is generally accurate, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. You demonstrate control over simple and some compound sentence structures. There are no significant errors that impede communication. However, the range of grammatical structures is limited; you rely mostly on simple declarative sentences and imperative structures for advice. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as using conditional clauses (e.g., 'If you decide to go, you should...') or relative clauses to add more detail to your points.

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

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