Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-24
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 am delighted to hear from you again. I see that you have finally taken my advice to go camping this summer. I am very happy to provide you advice.
During our middle school days we enjoyed hiking and a lot of outdoor activities. climbing mountains with our heavy backpacks, going insect hunting and trying to identify birds through the different sounds they make is the perfect reason why I am certain you would enjoy a camping holiday.
The weather has become really unpredictable, although we are in a daylight time zone, it could get darker sooner than usual, so you would need to come with torchlight, also avoiding wearing perfumes as the scents could attract bees and some animals to you. Additionally wear protective boots and don't forget to pack in some extra clothes and of course snacks.
I really anticipated going camping with you, however, my thesis was recently accepted for presentation in Switzerland this summer hence I won't be able to come with you.
I hope to catch up with you soon, I wish you lots of adventures.
With love,
Ada
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided a clear reason why your friend would enjoy camping by referencing shared past experiences, identified relevant disadvantages such as unpredictable weather and safety precautions, and clearly stated your inability to join the trip. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout. To reach a higher band, ensure that the advice provided is more directly linked to the 'camping' context rather than general outdoor activities, and provide slightly more depth in the explanation of the disadvantages.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each bullet point, and a closing. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'however' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved; for instance, the second paragraph is quite long and contains a list of activities that could be better structured. The use of referencing is generally clear, but ensure that your sentences flow more naturally into one another to improve the overall progression of your argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using words like 'unpredictable', 'adventures', and 'thesis'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'provide you advice' (should be 'provide you with advice') and 'pack in some extra clothes' (simply 'pack extra clothes' is more natural). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision required for higher bands. Focusing on more sophisticated collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'I really anticipated going camping' (should be 'I was really looking forward to going camping') and 'daylight time zone' (which is an unusual phrasing). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some run-on sentences and comma splices, particularly in the second paragraph. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on refining your verb tenses and sentence boundaries.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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