Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-21
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 am writing this email to advise you about your camping holiday for the first time this summer.
First of all, enjoying a camping holiday might help you to relax and give you a chance to learn something new. Moreover, quality time spent with your companions helps you create unforgettable memories.
On the other hand, there are a few downsides you should consider. First and foremost, you might experience sudden rain or get cold at night. So, make sure to get a raincoat and clothes according to the weather while going on a camping holiday. Most importantly, I would also like to join you on your holiday, but I have some urgent work .Therefore, I will not be able to go with you this summer. I hope we will visit together for camping.
I hope these suggestions might help.
See you soon
Warm Regards,
Kelly
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all three bullet points required by the task prompt: you explain why your friend would enjoy camping, describe potential disadvantages such as weather issues, and state whether you would join this summer. However, there is a penalty because the response contains 147 words, falling slightly short of the 150-word minimum specified in the instructions. Furthermore, the opening sentence 'I am writing this email to advise you about your camping holiday for the first time' is slightly unnatural since your friend is the one going for the first time, not the holiday itself. Despite these minor issues, the tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, earning a band score of 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical structure suitable for personal correspondence. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand' to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, main body points regarding advantages and disadvantages, and the closing remarks. Referencing is generally clear, although the transition between discussing the weather and stating your inability to join feels a bit abrupt. Overall, the flow is smooth and easy to follow, justifying a band score of 7.0 for coherence and cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, featuring appropriate everyday expressions like 'quality time', 'unforgettable memories', and 'sudden rain'. There are attempts at less common vocabulary, though some phrasings lack natural collocation, such as 'advise you about your camping holiday for the first time'. Spelling and word choices are generally accurate and do not impede communication. To reach higher bands, you could incorporate more sophisticated phrasing and precise collocations typical of natural English correspondence. This performance aligns well with a band score of 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a reasonable mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional ideas and subordinate clauses ('enjoying a camping holiday might help you to relax and give you a chance to learn something new'). There are some minor punctuation and spacing errors, notably the extra space before the comma in 'work .Therefore'. However, the majority of your sentences are grammatically sound, and errors do not impede communication. Your control over grammar is solid enough to meet the criteria for a band score of 6.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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