Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-11

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 James,

I hope you are in good health and high spirits. I just heard that you are planning on going on a camping holiday this summer. From my perspective, it will provide you with a great experience.

You will love almost everything about this trip because you will be closer to nature. Moreover, you can also plan various activities such as hiking, or kayaking to keep you entertained. However, there are some drawbacks to such a trip. Firstly, you will need to carry the essentials like ready to eat food, and medical resources because these services are not readily available in such areas. Secondly, always carry a mosquito repellent spray with you. In other words, in the night it is very much possible to have mosquito bites. Therefore, it will be beneficial if you carry products to protect yourself.

Furthermore, I have not planned anything special this summer. I can also join you on your holiday and my camping experience may help us.

I hope you find my suggestions helpful. I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours truly,

Justin

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You explained why your friend would enjoy camping, identified practical disadvantages such as the need for supplies and mosquito protection, and clearly stated your interest in joining the trip. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose is clear throughout. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific detail or personal anecdotes to further develop your ideas, such as describing a specific location or a particular camping memory to make the advice feel more personal and engaging.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each point, and a closing. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', 'Firstly', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader through your arguments. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. To improve, ensure that your transitions feel slightly more natural; for example, the phrase 'In other words' is used a bit awkwardly when introducing the issue of mosquitoes. A more seamless connection would enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'high spirits', 'readily available', and 'medical resources' are used correctly. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional and lacks the 'less common' or idiomatic expressions that would elevate the response to a higher band. For instance, instead of 'ready to eat food', you could use 'non-perishable provisions'. Additionally, ensure your collocations are precise; 'in the night' is acceptable, but 'at night' is more natural in this context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are error-free, which allows for clear communication. There are minor issues, such as 'in the night it is very much possible to have mosquito bites', which is slightly unnatural; 'you are likely to get mosquito bites at night' would be better. You have good control over punctuation and sentence boundaries. To improve, try incorporating a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, to demonstrate greater flexibility.

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

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