Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-19

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 Sam,

It's been ages since we wrote to each other. I was over a moon when I received your email. Finally you have decided to go on a camping trip for the first time, and I can guarantee you that you will definitely enjoy your holiday because camping is a great way to unwind and refresh the mood after monotonous hectic office schedules. It will be completely a memorable experience for you to visit forests and stay in a tent especially in the evenings where you can view sky full of stars. At the same time you need to be careful from some dangerous species such as poisonous snakes and insects that can bite you at night while sleeping. I know it is going to be quite challenging for you to adjust there but do not worry I will join you and we will make good memories.

See you at the camping site.

Yours lovingly,

Alex

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: you explain that camping can help Sam “unwind,” describe the appeal of seeing a “sky full of stars,” mention risks from snakes and insects, and clearly say you will join the trip. The advice is relevant and your friendly tone suits a letter to a friend. Some ideas, however, are more fully covered than others. The disadvantages are limited to dangerous animals, while the challenge of adjusting to camping is mentioned but not explained. To develop the response further, add another practical drawback, such as uncomfortable weather or limited facilities, and briefly suggest how Sam could prepare for it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a sensible overall order: you respond to Sam’s news, explain the attractions of camping, introduce a disadvantage, and confirm that you will go together. The opening and closing also make the purpose and relationship clear. However, nearly all the content is placed in one long paragraph, so the shift from benefits to risks and then to your offer is not visually clear. Some links, such as “At the same time,” help connect contrasting points, but the progression could be easier to follow. Use separate paragraphs for the reasons Sam may enjoy camping, the possible disadvantages, and your decision to join, with clear transitions between them.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for friendly advice, including “unwind,” “monotonous,” “memorable experience,” and “poisonous.” These choices communicate the main ideas and show some ambition beyond basic vocabulary. A few combinations are not natural or precise, though: “refresh the mood” would be more idiomatic as “refresh your mind,” and “dangerous species” is less suitable here than “dangerous animals” or “wildlife.” “A moon” in “over a moon” is also an inaccurate expression; the usual phrase is “over the moon.” Aim to use less common vocabulary where it fits naturally, and check familiar collocations so that expressive language sounds fluent rather than translated.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the reason clause “because camping is a great way to unwind” and the relative clause “where you can view…”. The message remains clear, and several sentences are controlled. Some grammatical and punctuation slips remain: “I was over a moon” needs the article “the,” and “view sky full of stars” needs an article before “sky.” The long sentence beginning “It will be completely…” would also be clearer if divided or punctuated more carefully. Continue practising article use and sentence boundaries, while retaining the complex structures you already attempt; this will make the letter more consistently accurate.

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

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